Leather & Lace
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: Emma and Killian are happily married, though Emma is really missing her son now that he's out seeking his own story, while Killian has his own worry causing him make repairs to the Jolly Roger when nothing's broken. Then, an evil Sorceress arrives looking for vengeance, and bringing this new villain down won't be easy because no one believes in the right threat except for Killian.
1. Chapter 1

Leather & Lace

Chapter One

Long ago, deep in the dark end of the forest surrounding Camelot, a very powerful sorcerer entombed a nearly as powerful sorceress within a wall of stone inside a crypt where she remained imprisoned for many years, until one night the magical force that kept her captive suddenly vanished and awakened the villainess from deep slumber. Upon opening her eyes, the witch summoned every ounce of dark magic inside of her and blasted herself free, then stepped out from the shattered rocks on the ground at her bare feet in order to walk outside the cave so she could survey the distant kingdom beyond the trees using her magic to see through the eyes of the owl flying high above her.

Camelot was eerily dark, as was Arthur's castle. While the Sorceress didn't know how much time passed since she had been imprisoned, she could see much has changed and that everyone who once lived within the once bountiful kingdom were now missing on account of what she immediately recognized was the dark curse cast only moments ago upon seeing the remnants of its purple storm cloud vanishing within the air.

At last, the villainess let out a quiet whistle and the owl flew down to land upon her arm as she turned around to walk back inside the crypt where she hoped to gather magical ingredients that were once hers before being left behind and forgotten by the Sorcerer who trapped her, so she could use them to discover what might have happened to bring this realm's most powerful kingdom down to ruin.

Weeks later…

The citizens of Camelot finally returned home early one afternoon upon passing through a magical portal within a door to another world as they were led by a woman with hair the color of a flame and the Queen herself. The Sorceress looked down on their homecoming atop of one of the castle's highest walls after she transformed herself into a crow to avoid being seen upon sensing the rise of the portal from within her crypt, then flew back to its safety where she would wait for the opportune moment when she would make her reawakening known.

On the eve of a grand celebration within the castle's main hall where the people of Camelot gathered to celebrate the engagement of Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot, the villainess' time finally came as she suddenly burst into the center of the room with a bang, her dark magic protecting her from the knights' futile attacks upon her sudden appearance.

Once each of the knights had fallen after the powerful witch blasted them all away from her and knocked them down or out cold, Lancelot called out to her as he shouted angrily, "Who are you? Why have you disrupted our celebration here tonight?"

Before the villainess could answer, Guinevere fearfully stated, "Morgan Le Fay… I know very well who you are."

"Just as I know very well who you are too, Your Majesty," Morgan Le Fay replied coldly. "Queen Guinevere… You married my much younger brother Arthur some time ago, did you not? Where is he? I can only imagine my little brother is dead, seeing as you're all here celebrating your engagement to another man, whom must be… Lancelot. Merlin prophesied of many things. He told me one day Arthur would first be betrayed by the woman he loved and that soon after he would be murdered, but by my hands… as I was meant to be his undoing."

"Merlin apparently was only able to keep one of these two prophecies from coming true when he imprisoned me all those years ago, before Arthur was even born," she continued after she turned her head to look around at the soldiers slowly rising back to their feet while they picked up their swords again to prepare themselves for another battle against the witch.

Lancelot spoke again while he stood protectively in front of his fiancé saying, "Our King was killed in the strange land we all returned from days ago upon being transported there within a dark curse cast by the Dark One. Guinevere was told that Hades, God of the Underworld murdered him. If you wish to blame someone for taking away your glory for killing our King yourself, blame the Gods."

The dark sorceress sneered and then she responded, "On the contrary… I didn't really come here for Arthur. Not to kill him or to find him. What of Merlin? Where is he now and why is he not here joining you in this glorious festivity?"

"Merlin is also gone," the Queen answered quietly. "Except none of us actually know how he died, or by whose hands. But seeing as he was the most powerful sorcerer who ever lived, it must have been someone else nearly as powerful."

"It had to have been the Dark One," the leader of the knights added darkly. "The second one. The woman was fighting to resist the darkness. We don't know what happened between the heroes once she turned the man she loved into a Dark One as well to try to save his life. Before the curse was cast, her parents encouraged me to return to my mother. At the time, Arthur still lived and Guinevere was still loyal to him. I left the kingdom because I never believed we could be together, but we are now."

Morgan Le Fay didn't acknowledge she even heard any of what Lancelot said, as she asked again, "Where was Merlin buried? If I'm to learn what truly happened to him, I need either his body or something of great value to him. I spent the weeks of your absence trying to discover the answer for myself, but to no avail. I demand you tell me at once. Or I will destroy Camelot once and for all, and everyone in it. With both Merlin and Arthur gone, there's no longer anyone here who can protect you from me."

Queen Guinevere stepped out from behind her fiancé as she replied crossly, "We've already told you, we don't know what happened to Merlin. Or if he was even buried at all. But we may have something you can use to help you discover the truth. If you know where Merlin resided while alive before he was transformed into the tree, you will find a flower magically preserved within a priceless vase. A middlemist flower. He spoke of it once being the very first flower from the middlemist field he had given to his one true love, until she…"

"Betrayed him, like you betrayed yours?" the witch responded cruelly. "I know of his hovel within this forest very well. I went there when I first awoke and I don't recall seeing any flower."

"Perhaps you didn't look hard enough, but it's there," Lancelot retorted. "We saw it when we buried Arthur's body nearby and laid to rest most of his own precious belongings. Within the ground where Excalibur once was embedded in its rock until the sword was finally removed."

Morgan Le Fay raised her hands as she prepared herself to vanish from them until she said once more, "At least you thought to bring my brother home from this mysterious land you were displaced in. What was its name?"

Guinevere simply answered, "Storybrooke."

Without another word, the Sorceress finally waved her hands and disappeared just as she came. Instead of returning to her crypt, Morgan Le Fay transported herself back to Merlin's home within the forest, a small hut within a magical tree. The irony didn't escape her that he had lived within the tree long before he ever was transformed into one as Guinevere had told her he had. Putting the thought out of her mind, she looked more closely at the books and objects surrounding her, yet still she could see no middlemist flower within some enchanted vase. She then waved her hand once again to uncover all that contained magical properties within the room and at last the flower was uncovered.

"A cloaking spell… appearing to have lost most of its power," the witch uttered to herself, then carefully picked up the vase holding the flower so she could examine it more closely. "No doubt to hide it from the likes of me. This ought to work perfectly. Merlin always was a sentimental fool."

Upon finally returning back to the tomb within her crypt, Morgan Le Fay immediately got to work in mixing the potion that would open a window into the past so she would finally learn of what happened to Merlin. So she would learn who it was who stole her revenge against the Sorcerer who had imprisoned her.

 _When she succeeded after adding one final ingredient… the flower upon crushing its petals into a powder and releasing the residue into her boiling cauldron, a window opened like the villainess hoped as images swirled around within until they became clear, revealing a sinister, yet handsome villain she could only assume was the Dark One whom the Queen and Lancelot spoke of, appear as he entered a darkened room before Merlin, then locked the door behind him with a simple flick of his wrist._

 _Morgan Le Fay watched as the Dark One stared coldly at the Sorcerer while Merlin finished leaving a message to those unknown to her, then turned to face his enemy until the Dark One rushed forward and suddenly ripped out the Sorcerer's heart with barely a word to explain his action._

 _"Heard you preparing for the worst case scenario," Dark Hook stated cruelly just before doing so. "I'm sorry, mate. It's already here."_

 _Merlin gasped in pain as the Dark One plunged his hand into his chest, then the supposedly more powerful being replied, "You're too late. I've already left a message for the others."_

 _The villain looked between the glowing red heart in his hand and the magical sword at his side while he responded, "Well, they can't do anything to stop me. Not while I have this."_

 _Upon the blade being brought to his attention, the Sorcerer spoke again with surprise in his voice saying, "Excalibur. What do you want?"_

 _"My revenge," the Dark One answered plainly. "And for that, I need to get back to Storybrooke."_

 _"You want to cast a curse," Merlin replied as if he could read his enemy's mind. "It's not possible. Not without crushing the heart of the thing you love most."_

 _Hook turned his head, appearing to be looking at someone or something only he could see, as did Merlin until Morgan Le Fay heard Merlin utter a single name, "Nimue."_

 _Once whoever both men were seeing finished speaking, the Sorceress listened and observed as Merlin shook his head while he finally said again sadly, "But you're not really here."_

 _"Aye, mate," the man consumed by the darkness responded smugly. "But she is. She lives in all Dark Ones."_

 _"So when I crush your heart…" Hook continued more cruelly, holding Merlin's heart out in front of him to taunt him. "…so will she."_

 _All of a sudden, the other Dark One also entered the room_ _as she saw the second Dark One standing before her with Merlin and a woman invisible to Morgan Le Fay still, the great Sorcerer's heart within his hand, then she looked at the man she loved while she said with disbelief, "You were playing me the whole time."_

 _Dark Hook turned to her and then answered, "Once you lied about Excalibur, all bets were off. I knew it was just a matter of time before you tried controlling me. And now no one will ever control me again."_

 _"Go back from whence you came," he ordered the powerful blade hanging at his side that only he now controlled while he looked down at Excalibur. "Back to stone."_

 _"I don't understand," Emma replied coldly as she strode towards the other being among them the Sorceress wished she could see and hear as well. "Why are you helping him get his revenge?"_

 _After the invisible villain appeared to respond, the Dark Swan asked more curtly, "What do you want?"_

 _After another moment of silence, she then stammered fearfully "No. You can't."_

 _Emma struggled to take in the despair until she turned back to the man she loved and moved in close to him, taking the lapels of his long leather duster in her hands as she whispered gently, "Killian... Your revenge is not your happy ending. I am. You told me that. If you destroy this heart, you will destroy your happy ending along with it."_

 _"No, Killian Jones told you that," Hook answered darkly. "Your lovesick puppy dog. But that man died the moment you turned him into a Dark One."_

 _"Ooh…" he mockingly taunted when he stretched out his arm towards the Sorcerer and suddenly crushed Merlin's heart before him, then walked into the back room of the diner to pour the ashes left behind into a cauldron in order to create a new dark curse so they could all return back home to Storybrooke like he wanted._

It appeared that the moment between the two Dark Ones continued after the second killed the man Morgan Le Fay wished to take her own revenge on for imprisoning her all those years within her own lair. However, the Sorceress waved her hand over the window to make it vanish and then picked up one of her books so she could find a way to this strange land of Storybrooke herself, without having to cast another dark curse. In truth, she loved no one, or anything any longer, having left her past far behind her long before she met Merlin.

"There must be another way into this magical realm the Dark One now resides in and I will find it," the villainess uttered to the owl perched on one of the stacks of books beside her sternly while it stared at her as if the creature could understand what she was trying to do. "I don't care how long it takes. This Dark One stole my revenge from me. I will make him suffer for it. I may not be able to kill him, as he is immortal… but there are worse fates than death."

Morgan Le Fay had no idea the man she sought vengeance upon was no longer the Dark One. Nor would she care if she did. He murdered her greatest enemy, which in turn made Captain Hook her enemy as well. So without another word, to herself or to the owl still beside her, she continued to examine the book's pages until she couldn't find what she was looking for and went on to look through the next book. Little did she know then that it would take her more than a year to find this magical realm existing within the Land Without Magic.


	2. Chapter 2

Leather & Lace

Chapter Two

Present day, Storybrooke…

Early one evening inside Granny's Diner, Happy, Doc, and Dopey were sitting at the bar each with a drink in their hands while they watched as Grumpy played cards with Hook. The two men sat across from one another in the booth closest to the juke box playing quiet music behind them and the longer they spent making wagers, Killian with doubloons and various treasures from all he's collected over his years pirating, and Leroy with the savings he'd earned during the twenty-eight cursed years he spent as a janitor, the more the other dwarfs laughed at their brother when Leroy lost yet another hand to their friend just as he always did because the pirate was by far the better gambler.

"There's no one in this world who's as lucky as you are," Grumpy said with frustration when Killian laid the cards in his hand down on the table face up, then picked up the remaining deck as he shuffled the cards effortlessly between his fingers. "You cheated… again. Can't you ever play fair?"

"I've no need to cheat when my opponent plays as poorly as you," Killian answered playfully, as he raised his eyes to look at his friend again while he used his hook to help him gather the rest of the cards so he could continue to shuffle them all together. "I may have had many more years of practice than you, but your biggest problem is that you're too busy concentrating on trying to discover my tell, rather than on the cards in your hand. I believe that's another one hundred, ninety-six dollars you owe me. Pay up, dwarf."

Grumpy tossed the crumpled bills over to the pirate and pointed his finger at him, then replied crossly, "And that's another thing… my name isn't dwarf, pirate. You can call me Grumpy or Leroy, but never just dwarf."

Emma walked up behind her husband after entering the diner along with Snow and David who carried their son, and sat down beside him as Killian scooted over for her to be able to do so, then wrapped his left arm around her lower back to hold her while she spoke up to the smaller man saying, "That hardly seems fair, seeing as you just called Killian 'pirate', rather than by his real name too."

"That's all right, love," Killian responded with a wink directed at Grumpy as he shuffled the cards once more, then laid them back down on the table and picked up the glass of water in front of him to take another drink. "Leroy uses the term more in fun or out of endearment rather in contempt, just as me calling him dwarf is meant as."

"He's right," the dwarf answered quickly, then stood up so that the Charmings could have a seat in his place across from their daughter and son in law. "Look, about the rest of the money I owe you…"

Before he could finish, Killian interrupted, "I know you've got it, but don't worry about it, mate. I've more than enough in gold, silver, and other treasures."

He picked up the cash tossed to him and handed it back, then continued, "That is money you've earned through hard work. Most of what I have is stolen, hardly earned. Keep yours for a rainy day. You never know when they'll come, especially here."

"I can't do that," Leroy replied, while he tried to hand it over to Hook once more. "It doesn't matter how you got it, it's still yours."

"You were right," Killian retorted, refusing to accept the bills again and then he grinned smugly. "I did cheat. That money is rightfully yours, as is what's of mine on the table. Take it."

Grumpy glared at him as he picked up all that Killian had laid down, then responded, "I knew it. I should know better than to trust you when it comes to playing poker, blackjack, or any other card games you know about."

He continued to grumble under his breath as he walked away and once he and the rest of the dwarfs had left the diner, David looked at Killian skeptically as he questioned, "You didn't cheat, did you?"

"You know me, mate," Hook stated and turned his head to look at his wife who was smiling at him, also knowing the truth despite what he had told their friend as her father did.

"Yeah I do, which is how I know you didn't really cheat," the Prince answered with sincerity. "Leroy's not as good at playing cards as he likes to think he is and I've seen you play."

Killian shook his head as he replied, "It doesn't really matter. Shall we order ourselves some dinner? I skipped lunch because Mr. Smee and I were busy working on the Jolly Roger all morning until a couple of hours ago. It appears there was more wrong with her wheel and planks than I realized. She's almost as old as I am. I'll have to fix them before we go out sailing again."

Emma caressed his cheek while she responded, "I'm sure if Henry were still here, he'd be more than happy to help you. I know it's only been a week since he left to find his own adventure, but I really miss him."

"So do I," Regina said more curtly than she intended to as she too walked in and took a seat at the table beside the booth where the others were sitting, while Granny came up to them all to take their orders, after she set down a round of hot cocoas with cinnamon for everyone as well as another glass of water in front of the pirate Captain. "I'm sorry… I know it was right to let Henry go, but things are certainly different around here without him."

"We know it is," Snow answered sadly and then pulled Neal from her husband's arms to play with him. "They really do grow up so fast."

When Killian picked up the glass to have a sip, Emma looked at him again strangely as she asked, "Just water? I'm surprised you're not drinking rum."

He shrugged and then replied, "Well… I suppose lately I haven't much been in the mood to drink rum like I used to do. I still drink it, in better control. Honestly, ever since you told me of the version of meself within the Wish Realm…"

"I didn't tell you about him so you would give rum up altogether or to make you feel bad about yourself," she responded, then turned to Granny when it was her turn to tell the old woman what she wanted to eat. "I'll take my usual grilled cheese with onion rings, and two glasses of rum. One for me and one for Killian."

"And I'll have the same," Hook quickly added as he glanced up at Granny as well when she then looked to him for his own order. "A uh… grilled cheese sandwich and the onion rings that is. Thank you, love."

Granny nodded and answered, "No problem."

Once she walked away to return to her kitchen, Snow White spoke up again saying, "So Emma told us that the two of you are going to just be working tonight. Are you sure that's really necessary? The town's been awfully quiet lately."

"Well… seeing as I was busy this morning…" Killian began until the Savior continued for him.

"…And I took the morning to come visit with you guys, we thought we would actually do the job we were both elected to do," she finished.

Hook corrected her stating, "Actually, that you were elected to do, Swan. I simply took over for your father so he could stay home with his wife and son, as well as to become the farmer he once was before the first curse."

Regina nodded, but replied, "Perhaps that's true. However, I think we would have been happy to elect you too, if an election was actually called for. You're a pirate and therefore you know the opposite side of the law… So you can understand the mindsets of those who try to break it."

"I'm not so sure that's much of a compliment, but I'll take it as one nonetheless," he responded, then winked at her. "I thank you, milady."

"You're welcome," she answered. "But like Snow said, the town's been quiet and I thought we could all join together for a gathering at my place. Anyone else who might want to join us as well are welcome too of course. This morning I baked several apple pies… not the cursed kind of course, because I was a bit antsy at home alone. I was hoping you all would come over to help me eat them. I know Henry would."

Snow smiled at her stepmother and then sincerely she replied, "We would love to. Thank you, Regina. Despite our past, I really do love freshly baked apple pie. Especially yours."

The Queen smiled back, then turned back to Emma and Killian while she asked, "And you?"

"I suppose a day off couldn't hurt," Killian responded as he reached out to pick up the cards he and Grumpy had been playing with before Granny could return with their food to get them out of the way and pocketed them in his coat, then turned back to his wife. "What do you say, love? Shall we hold off any boring paperwork and wasted hours at the station until tomorrow?"

"If anything does happen… should the dwarfs, vikings, pirates, or anyone else decide to cause another bar fight, or should a villain make an appearance, someone will alert us somehow," the Savior answered, then quickly checked her phone to make sure the ringer was all the way up so she'd be able to hear it if someone called.

Regina smiled and replied, "Excellent. I'll send word out to everyone else."

Before anyone could respond, a stranger entered the diner as she turned to those before her and requested, "Forgive me for intruding while you're in the middle of super, but I was hoping someone here might be able to help me. I fell through a portal from a land known as Camelot. I somehow became caught up in a battle led by the Queen, as well as their knights against a very powerful witch who invaded the land until she opened the portal and I accidently fell through instead before she could use it to escape. I'm not sure how I wound up here, or where I even am for that matter."

"We know of Camelot… and we're friends with the kingdom's Queen," the former Evil Queen responded as she looked over the dark haired woman with suspicion, not fully trusting her tale knowing exactly how portals worked, as did the others. "Welcome to Storybrooke. I'm Regina, our town's Mayor. Come sit down with us. Granny will be happy to bring you something to eat and we can talk so we can get to know you, and you us."

"I'm Snow White," the Princess said quietly as the woman joined Regina and turned to observe the small group sitting within the booth, though mainly between the couple who were once Dark Ones together, then Snow continued to introduce the others while she motioned to each of them. "This is my husband, David. Our son, Neal and our daughter, Emma. And her husband, Killian."

Regina stared at the stranger as she asked, "And you are?"

She smiled coldly, then spoke again saying, "I'm Morgana."

While Regina and the Savior both suspected something wasn't true about this woman's story, they didn't know who she really was or if they were in any danger from her. If Henry were there, he would have been able to tell them this woman was really Morgan Le Fay from the Arthurian legend, the Sorceress once foretold by Merlin to be King Arthur's undoing and a dark villainess.


	3. Chapter 3

Leather & Lace

Chapter Three

After everyone finished eating as they spoke with the stranger more as she told them her story in more detail, a tale the heroes believed less and less the more Morgana spoke, Granny offered the unknown sorceress a room at her bed and breakfast, then escorted her there herself while the diner's owner had the young waitress working for her take over so long as she was gone. The Charmings and Hook left to get ready for the gathering at their Queen's mansion and to help spread the word around, while Regina had a matter on her mind she needed to tend to before she prepared her home for her guests.

Upon arriving at the front door of Sir Morgan's home where he was living with his daughter after remaining behind in Storybrooke while the rest of those from Camelot returned home, Regina raised her fist to knock and Violet opened it before she could knock twice, then with surprise on her face the seventeen year old stated, "Your Majesty… Regina, I mean. How lovely to see you again. Would you like to come in?"

The Mayor smiled at the young woman who had grown to become her son's closest friend, though Violet could see the concern in her eyes while Regina responded, "Thank you. But I can't stay long. I came for two reasons actually. Is your father here?"

"I am," the former knight of Camelot answered when he appeared at the door behind his daughter, then motioned for Regina to come inside and have a seat on the couch within their living room. "This is an unexpected pleasure, Your Majesty. Is there something I can do for you this evening?"

"I would like to invite you and Violet to my home for a gathering tonight," Regina replied quickly as she looked between them, then continued. "I made lots of apple pie due to boredom and missing my son, of course. Far too many for just myself, so I thought I would have a small party."

Violet immediately spoke up for herself and for her father saying, "We would love to come. Wouldn't we, father?"

Sir Morgan nodded and responded, "Indeed we would. We would be delighted. Of course we'll come. However, something tells me there's something else of more importance on your mind, milady."

"Yes… that's true," she answered grimly. "Earlier this evening, a stranger arrived in town from Camelot, or so she claimed. She told us she came here after falling through a portal by accident when a witch opened one in order to escape from Guinevere, Lancelot, and their knights. That she was simply a peasant who wound up in the wrong place, at the wrong time. But portals don't work that way. As far as I know, you go to wherever or whoever you happen to be thinking of as you pass through it, not someplace you've never heard of before."

"You're thinking that unless this witch, or Her Majesty happened to mention our small town unknown by most others during this battle, that this peasant woman couldn't possibly have arrived here by mistake," he continued for Regina, understanding full well what she was afraid of.

The Queen gently nodded her head and then replied, "You see my concern then. In your many years living within Camelot, have you ever known anyone by the name of Morgana?"

The knight thought for a few moments, then shrugged while he responded, "I can't say I have. I lived in Camelot for many years before Violet was born. I was a young man when I arrived there and in all that time, I don't recall ever meeting anyone by that name. I'm sorry that I can't be of more help."

"Nonsense," Regina said. "You've been plenty helpful. You've helped to confirm everyone's concern about this woman, whoever she is. I guess we'll just have to keep our eyes on her. Thank you, Sir Morgan. I look forward to seeing you and Violet in a little bit. Until then…"

"Yes, until then…" he answered, then walked the Mayor to the door and bowed his head to her in respect.

Meanwhile…

After leaving the diner, Killian and Emma walked hand and hand to their home before they headed to Regina's for the evening and upon recognizing the concerned look in his wife's eyes, both now and back while they were speaking with the newcomer at Granny's, Killian asked quietly, "Would you care to share what's on your mind, Swan? I'm guessing this is about that woman supposedly from Camelot."

Emma looked over at him as she replied, "You don't believe her any more than I do."

"Not in the slightest and I needn't your gift to be able to see she's definitely lying about something," he responded sternly. "The question is, what part of her tale is she lying about, if not all of it?"

"It's impossible to tell," she stated worryingly and then stopped walking upon reaching the white picket fence surrounding their house. "We know how portals work better than almost anyone. But it isn't just that. There's something else off about her and it's not so much what she said, but…"

Killian finished for her, "…more like the way she spoke. Aye. I felt the same sense of dread as you. Of course we've fought enough villains to recognize the signs. We'll have to keep a close eye on this woman."

The Savior smiled up at the man she loved and leaned in to kiss him, then while he opened the gate for his wife, following after her as she walked past him until Emma spun around to face him again, she spoke again saying, "I was thinking the same thing. And I didn't like the way she appeared to keep staring at you, like she was trying to read your thoughts or something worse. It was unnerving. Killian… can I ask what it is that's been bothering you lately? You've been quieter lately. And you've awoken early almost every morning to go out to begin your ongoing work on the Jolly Roger. I know you've said she needs some repairs, but I know you better than to believe you've allowed her to lose her splendor. Besides, Henry and I were on her just last week and there wasn't anything wrong that we could see. What's really going on? Have you been having trouble sleeping again? Have your nightmares returned?"

"I assure you, love… I haven't dreamt of watching you fall by the sword or of the Underworld in some time," her husband lied, which allowed for Emma to see through him because of her gift no matter how convincing he tried to appear.

"You know that's not good enough for me," she whispered while she reached up to caress his right cheek again like she always did whenever she sensed he was upset or afraid, then looked deeply into his eyes. "Please, Killian. What's wrong?"

Killian simply smiled and then answered, "It's nothing. Come now, we ought to be heading over to Her Majesty's already. We'll be late."

Emma walked inside their house as she retorted, "Regina never set a specific time for us all to be there. And besides, I can magic us both there in a second."

"I promise you, I'm fine," he replied quietly. "And you may not have seen the things wrong with our ship, but I assure you there's plenty. Loose boards and trouble with the steering…"

"Because we're on our way to meet up with our family and friends, I'll say I believe you," the Savior responded, then kissed him once more before going upstairs to their room to change her clothes now that she was no longer heading to the station, while Killian waited for her downstairs and walked over to the telescope by the window so he could look out over the ocean as he thought back to a conversation between him and the woman he loved that took place aboard the Jolly Roger the day before their son left to find his own adventure.

 _After Henry lost the swordfight between him and Killian aboard the Jolly Roger, then stormed past his teacher and mother with his own troubles on his mind, Emma stepped down from the upper deck to make her way over to her husband as she asked him in concern, "What's going on with him lately?"_

 _Killian kept his eyes on the teenager while he answered, "I think you know, Emma._ _"_

 _"_ _He's almost grown," he continued when he then turned to face the woman he loved again._

 _"_ _He's about to leave home, isn't he?" the Savior questioned worryingly as she looked between her son and husband._

 _Killian quickly glanced back at Henry as well until he turned back to Emma with a concerning smile on his own face and then uttered, "_ _Aye."_

 _Emma took a step forward in effort to step around Hook as she replied, "I'm gonna go talk to him."_

 _"What, to stop him?" he asked her questionably to keep her from doing so._

 _"I missed so much already," she responded in frustration while keeping her eyes downward until her husband spoke the next words he said to her. "I don't want to…"_

 _With very little doubt in his eyes, the man she loved answered her saying, "This isn't an ending, Emma. There's more to come."_

 _Despite his conviction, the Savior replied, "But we don't know for sure. What if I don't get a second chance?"_

 _"It's gonna be okay," Killian whispered once more. "I have something to make things a little less terrifying."_

 _"A little bottle of rum?" she questioned snidely after he walked over to one of his chests still aboard the ship and then held up a small bottle filled with what appeared to be rum of some sort while he walked back over to her. "Because I wouldn't say no."_

 _The pirate Captain tapped the tip of his hook against the bottle's glass while he responded, "It's a little bottle of magic. You speak your message in here, add the name of your favorite pirate, drop it in the water, and before you can say 'Yo-ho-ho,' it'll find the person you seek."_

 _She smiled at him and then stated, "A message in a bottle."_

 _"Mm-hmm," he muttered as she leaned in again to kiss the man standing before her as a way to show her gratitude for him._

 _"Thank you," she answered quietly and held her husband by his shoulders._

 _While Emma looked up at him with love in her eyes, Killian continued, "Look, he's grown into a fine young lad, and he is lucky to have a mother like you."_

 _The Savior smiled while she replied, "He's lucky to have a pirate like you."_

 _"He's gonna be fine," he responded when they both turned again to Henry, who stood upon the upper deck overlooking the vast ocean surrounding them._

"Are you ready to go?" Emma suddenly asked him, breaking Killian from his thoughts as she returned to his side again, then laid her hand across his back and took his hook in her other.

Her husband looked down at her, seeing she was now dressed in a lilac colored evening dress and that her hair was pulled back similar to how it was on their wedding day, then he answered, "Aye. You look… absolutely radiant, love."

She smiled and replied, "I thought you'd say so. It's not too often I get the chance to dress up here because we're always working, or just busy living our daily routines. So I figured a get together with friends and family no matter how small is a good of a reason as any. And you're as handsome as always."

They finally left their home once again to head over to Regina's, getting into the yellow bug to drive themselves there rather than walk to avoid being too late, or using magic to transport them there. What it was that was troubling Killian about the conversation with his wife he had been thinking of moments before drifted into the back of his mind again when she appeared beside him and none of their concerns mattered for the rest of the evening.

Once they arrived at the mansion, Snow and David were already there, along with few others including the dwarfs, Archie, Marco and August, as well as Belle and Gold. Throughout the night, more of their friends joined the gathering as they all enjoyed Regina's pies and talked amongst each other sharing stories and spoke of the news of their town.


	4. Chapter 4

Leather & Lace

Chapter Four

Early the next morning, Emma slowly awoke as she rolled over onto her back in the bed she shared with her husband while she reached out for him, only to find that Killian was once again already gone for the day, as he's been almost every morning since Henry left town. Yet because of their talk the night before, this morning she found a note he left for her to at least let her know not to worry and that he was aboard the Jolly Roger with his first mate getting some more work done, with an apology for leaving her alone again before the sun rose.

The Savior let out a worried sigh as she sat up and then quickly got herself ready for the day. However, instead of heading down to the harbor to meet up with the man she loved, she headed into town and walked into Gold's pawnshop where she found both the shopkeeper and his wife as Emma hoped she would, as Belle was helping her husband sort a number of the valuables within Gold's possession while their infant son continued to sleep within his cradle nearby.

"Good morning, Emma," Belle stated kindly when she looked up upon hearing the chimes over the door ring as the blonde haired woman entered. "I'm glad you've stopped by."

"Me too," the Savior replied sincerely while she looked between her friends standing before her. "It's a bit early for you to be working here in the shop already, isn't it?"

Gold nodded while he answered quietly, "Perhaps so, but I suppose it's a good thing we are here. Otherwise, whatever your business for being here so early yourself is, it would have had to wait. Is there something we can help you with, Miss. Swan?"

Emma looked down at Gideon and she smiled at him upon seeing him sleeping so peacefully, then she turned to Belle as she responded, "Actually, I was hoping I could ask you for a favor. Everything between me and Killian are great… or at least mostly great, except that I know something's been troubling him lately and I think he's afraid to talk to me about it. I'm not sure why, or what it's about really. I thought maybe it was because he's still been having the nightmares he's had, of my dying during the final battle and of his torment while trapped down in the Underworld, but he told me that wasn't it and my superpower assured me he was telling the truth. His dreams haven't come as often as they used to. The problem is, I have no idea what is bothering him and I don't want him to feel like I'm pressuring him to talk. I was kind of hoping you would talk to him for me. You and Killian have been close friends for awhile now and you have a way of getting him to open up about things he might be afraid to share with me or anyone else."

"Of course I can try to talk with him," the beauty replied as she looked over at her own true love. "Would you mind watching Gideon for bit, Rumple? When I return, I will help you deliver some of these valuables to their rightful owners."

"I'd love to look after our son," Gold answered and then looked down at the two wooden puppets lying upon the glass counter before him as an open book sat beside it. "I fear the correct spell to help these two unfortunate souls will take me some time to find anyways. I was the one who created the dark magic that did this to them. I hope for their sake, and for the sake of our town's carpenter and psychiatrist that I can find a way to undo it."

Emma moved closer so she could look at them more clearly, then asked strangely, "You mean… these two puppets are real people?"

The Dark One nodded with remorse as he responded, "Unfortunately, yes. These are Geppetto's parents. Dr. Hopper made a deal with me long ago because he was looking for freedom from his cruel parents. I gave him this potion that was meant for them. However, they switched the vials on him without his knowledge and what the cricket gave two innocent travelers, Geppetto's parents, was what turned them into these, rather than what they believed was a cure to a plague that never actually existed. You will have to ask Dr. Hopper for the rest of the details if you're curious to know the rest of the story. That's all I know."

"I'll have to do that, but first I'd like to try to help you help them if I can," Emma replied sincerely, then turned back to Belle again. "Thank you very much, Belle. You'll find Killian aboard the Jolly Roger. He and Smee, along with a few of their old crewmen have been fixing her up, though I'm not really sure there's much of her that needs to be fixed. Killian keeps his ship in perfect order. I think he's seeing things broken, that aren't really broken because he's worried about whatever really is troubling him."

"I'll see what I can do," Belle answered and kissed her husband on his cheek, then she leaned down to kiss her son's forehead before leaving to find Killian.

Once she was gone, Gold turned back to the Savior while he spoke again saying, "Let's see what your power and mine can do together. Shall we, Miss. Swan?"

Down on the beach…

Killian walked slowly along the shore after he left his ship to take a break from the work as he left Smee in charge of the men working alongside them. Why he couldn't seem to shake off the frustration growing inside of him, he didn't know. But it was coming to be a problem and he knew he would have to talk about it with someone before too long. He wanted to talk about it with Emma most of all because it concerned her and because he knew it was the right thing to do, but he was also afraid. He had offered her assurance of something he feared might not be possible.

After finally making up his mind to talk his worries over with Archie, he turned to walk back towards town until he was surprised to see Belle walking down to him as she raised her hand to wave at him in the distance. Killian met her halfway and once they were standing before one another, she was the first one to talk.

She said quietly, "Hello, Killian. It's a lovely morning, isn't it? Perhaps it's a good day to work aboard your ship, but seeing as you're down here on the beach… Mr. Smee told me you'd be down here somewhere. I went to the harbor and found you weren't there where I thought you'd be."

"Emma asked you to come talk with me, didn't she?" Killian then asked to keep the younger woman from rambling on. "I realize I'm a coward for being unable to express my worries to her. I don't wish for her to feel I'm trying to avoid her. I've just a lot on my mind."

"She's worried about you," Belle responded gently. "She knows you're not trying to avoid her, but she's afraid you've been having nightmares still and are perhaps trying to spare her the details so you won't burden her. Emma also senses there's something else though. She just doesn't know what. Whatever it is, Killian… you can tell her. If you fear she'll love you any less, you're worrying over nothing. She loves you no matter what and I think you know that."

Killian smiled and then he replied, "Aye. You're right, love. But that isn't what worries me. I just… She misses Henry terribly even though she understands why he had to leave. And I know there's something she yearns for, though I fear I might not be able to give her what she wants."

Belle looked at him with surprise as it suddenly dawned on her what he was worried about and she immediately stated, "You're afraid you won't be able to give Emma anymore children."

"Aye," he whispered despondently, turning away from Belle as if he was ashamed for feeling as he did and then sat down upon the sand while he looked out over the ocean. "Just before Henry left, she expressed her desire for a second chance at having another child. A chance to watch her child grow just as her parents have gotten a second chance with Neal. We've been trying since we were married and so far nothing's changed for us and I know Emma can't possibly be to blame. But I… While Emma has found it in her heart to forgive me of my dark past and I've accepted I'm no longer the man I used to be, I still fear I may not be deserving of being a father. Not after what I'd done to Baelfire when I had a slim chance to be a father to him until I ruined it. What if being a father, other than a surrogate father to Henry, isn't in the cards for me? It will crush Emma whether she'll admit it or not and I don't wish for her to miss out on something as special as raising a child because of me."

"You've forgotten about me and Rumple," Belle answered when she sat down beside her friend on the sand. "We both thought we had lost our chance to raise Gideon when we learned he had been taken and then returned to Storybrooke a full grown man destined to kill the Savior in the final battle. I'm sorry… I didn't mean to remind you of that. But the fact remains. We missed out seeing our son grow up just as Emma missed out on with Henry, and Snow and David missed out on with her. Yet now, Emma's parents have Neal and Rumple and I by some miracle have Gideon back. And Rumple was… well is still the Dark One even if he has chosen to fight against the darkness after all these years. If being a villain determines that you can't have a child, well then we wouldn't have been able to have one either. You just need to give it time. And talk this over with Emma. You'll feel better when you do. Believe me, she will be understanding and she would never resent you even if having a child with you isn't possible. She loves you more than you will ever know, Killian."

Killian smiled at the younger woman, then reached down to pull her hand up to his lips to kiss it and responded, "Thank you, milady. You know, you would be able to give the cricket a run for his job if you ever wanted to go into therapy. While he's a brilliant doctor and has helped me on more than one occasion, you're amazing at knowing just what to say to someone when they need comforted."

Belle laughed and then replied, "Thank you. I'm glad I was able to help. Would you walk with me back into town? I believe Emma's working with Rumple to help him find a way to help both Archie and Marco, by saving Marco's parents."

"Hello… Dark One," a voice suddenly uttered cruelly from behind the two heroes as Killian stood and reached out his hand to help Belle up as well, then they immediately spun around to come face to face with the dark haired woman who called herself Morgana when they had spoken with her at Granny's the night before. "That is what you are… the Dark One?"

"I don't know who you really are, but if you knew anything about us, then you would know I no longer am who you think I am," Killian retorted darkly while he pulled Belle behind him in order to protect her from the woman he sensed from the beginning wasn't as she said she was either.

Morgana smiled at him coldly and then answered, "It's only possible for a Dark One to be released from the darkness when they're killed by another with a very special dagger. So if you're no longer the Dark One, then you would now be trapped down in the Underworld."

Killian quickly turned to Belle again as he spoke to her again quietly saying, "You have to go. Get back to Gold and Emma. Tell them Morgana isn't who she said she was and that she's dangerous."

"Your little friend won't be in time to help you," the Sorceress responded after Belle simply nodded to Killian's plea for her to go as the pirate Captain pulled his cutlass to protect himself, then ran to return to her husband's shop in hope of getting back to Killian in time. "You killed Merlin while you were in Camelot some time ago. You stole my chance for vengeance against the Sorcerer who trapped me within a dark prison for many, many years."

"That's why you're here?" Hook retorted curtly. "For revenge because I murdered Merlin before you could? Like I said, I was the Dark One then. It's not an excuse for killing the good man he was. But it happened and there's nothing I can do to change it. You'll have no trouble killing me if that's what you've come here for…"

Morgan Le Fay interrupted him as she replied, "You hold to your conviction and after seeing you interact with the woman who's your wife as well as the others last night, I almost believe you. However, Dark Ones lie and play mind games. You have everyone here fooled if no one else knows the truth of what you are."

Killian shook his head, then answered, "I gave my life willingly to rid this world of the darkness. I did become imprisoned within the Underworld where I was tormented by Hades, the God of the Dead. The reason I'm alive now is because the Savior traveled down there to save me. The darkness is gone. If you've any power, which I suspect you do… then find out for yourself. I'm tired of talking. But know that if you kill me, the Savior and the rest of the heroes who live here in this world will make you regret it."

"I don't plan to kill you," she responded cruelly as she summoned a ball of dark magic into the palm of her hand and then suddenly fired it at Killian.

Killian however, immediately ducked as he flipped to avoid being struck down by her power, then threw his sword at the witch, hitting her in her shoulder as she cried out with anger more than she was in pain. Without hesitating, Morgana pulled the blade free as she summoned a second blast, which she then fired again and this time, managed to strike her target despite Killian's effort to avoid it. He flew back several feet before landing roughly against the sandy ground, causing him to cry out.

He struggled to stand again, but found he couldn't move as a dark force kept him from being able to do so, while the Sorceress walked over and stood above him until she knelt down at his side. As Killian glared up at the woman above him, he saw nothing, but blackness in her eyes while she laid her hand underneath his chin before grabbing it tightly in order to force him to keep looking up at her.

"As I told you, I don't plan to kill you," she said again venomously. "I've got something much worse in mind whether you're the Dark One or not."

All of a sudden, Morgan Le Fay forced her lips over his as she released a dark force into his body which Killian couldn't fight despite every ounce of will within him while the power flooded through him. Once she finally released him, Killian heard Emma cry out to him in the distance as he drifted into unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

Leather & Lace

Chapter Five

Many centuries ago…

Merlin came to the dark Sorceress' lair late one evening and found her talking with her only friend, a black owl she healed when it had been stricken down by a hunter, while she sat within the dark upon the throne she forged from the roots and branches growing out from a tree outside of the cave where she hid herself from the rest of Camelot, as those who were once her own people now sought to destroy her for accepting the dark magic forced upon her some time ago by Merlin himself, despite his best intentions to try to help her.

Morgan Le Fay was the first of them to talk, as without looking up at the powerful being before her she said, "Well, this is a surprise. I thought you swore you would never come to me within this lair again."

The Sorcerer answered sincerely, "I know what I said, but I came because despite what you've become Morgana, I still care for you. I never intended for you to discover the origin of your magic within you like this. I loved you like a daughter and your parents like the family I've never known. So when the three of you fell ill from the plague that nearly consumed Camelot, I used my magic that I still barely had begun to understand to try to heal you. I had no idea the spell I used to do so came from dark magic until it was too late. I've no excuse for how I've wronged you, but back when I met you and your parents I was still learning to conquer my own darkness within me. I may have healed you, but at a great cost and for such I am truly sorry."

"You needn't apologize, Merlin," she responded coldly as she finally raised her head to look him in his eyes. "I quite like who've I've become thanks to you. But what I can't accept is that you kept what you did to me and my parents a secret all this time. You only told us the truth because the time had finally passed that you couldn't keep it such a secret any longer. All these years, I've been growing older, but never aged. Nor did my parents. You made us immortal, but you poisoned us. My parents may have refused to give into the darkness, but I wasn't strong like them. And now I love the power. Because of you, I'm almost as powerful as you."

"I won't ever allow that to happen," Merlin replied firmly as the Sorceress stood and walked around her cauldron where one of her dark spells was brewing. "Your parents… they see their immortality as a curse. Yet they love with their whole hearts, especially you even after you had them banished from Camelot until I found them and brought them home. But you… You see your immortality as a gift and yet you hate. Everyone and everything because you allowed your heart to turn as black as coal. Please, Morgana… let me help you. I can, I promise. You don't have to give into the darkness you feel within you. It's not too late. It's never too late so long as you choose to find the goodness I still feel from you."

The Sorceress sneered and then cruelly she answered, "Whatever good you think you feel within me, it's about to be destroyed once and for all. You once prophesied I would one day be the downfall of my brother, who has yet to be born, if you fail to save me from the dark path I've chosen. But what I'm about to do now will make it so my brother, the once and future King, will never be born and then Camelot will be destroyed once and for all."

Merlin looked into the cauldron and waved his hand over the magic within, then looked over at the younger woman again as he asked, "What have you done, Morgana?"

"Something not even you are powerful enough to stop any longer," she responded brusquely and then suddenly fired bolts of lightning from her hands straight at the Sorcerer of old and forced him back against one of the crypt's walls behind him, causing him to fall heavily upon the ground. "I've spent every waking hour learning my gift. I've gone many nights without sleep so I could. I may not yet be as powerful as you, but surely by now my power is stronger than even that of the Dark One. It's powerful enough to conjure a dark spell that will bring this kingdom into ruin and slaughter all those who now hunt me like the monster I am. It's too late for me, Merlin. And it's too late for Camelot."

"I may not be able to stop what you've conjured, but I can harness it and use it to imprison you so that you will never again be able to harm anyone or unleash your wrath upon this world," the Sorcerer replied strongly and then rose once again to his feet as he suddenly summoned his own power within himself to twist the dark magic rising from within the cauldron to his own will.

Morgana screamed in anger as she tried to force him to stop by striking against him once again with her magic, but Merlin blocked her power as he conjured a shield forged from the strongest of metals and infused it with his own power to protect himself against her. Finally, the spell once meant to be used against Camelot and the kingdom's people, was turned against the Sorceress who created it as Merlin suddenly released its power onto Morgan Le Fay, causing her to be forced back into a crevasse that opened up inside one of the crypt's walls, which soon became her tomb as she was imprisoned within once the crevasse finally closed over her.

From within the stone, Merlin could hear the Sorceress screaming out at him while the dark magic finished as she shouted, "One day, you will see me again, Merlin! I swear you will pay for trying to destroy me!"

As the magic became complete, Merlin fell to his knees in despair over what he had been forced to do and then whispered, "Forgive me, Morgana. Forgive me."


	6. Chapter 6

Leather & Lace

Chapter Six

When Killian slowly came to, he struggled to open his eyes as he weakly turned his head to look at his surroundings and found himself lying in a room within the hospital. His mind was hazy and at the moment he couldn't remember what happened to him that warranted him another hospital stay. However, a face of the woman who attacked him flashed through his mind and while he couldn't remember too much of the detail from his attack just yet, he did know the stranger who had recently come to town was a villain like he and everyone else suspected.

He finally tried to sit up, which was then that he looked down upon himself and found he was still wearing his own clothes rather than a hospital gown, but what was strange was that they were the clothes he wore from when he still dressed as a pirate, rather than the modern clothes he had gotten used to wearing since his first date with Emma years ago. The clothes he had been wearing when he had woken up earlier that morning. However, his hook was missing and he didn't see it among the rest of his belongings in the chair nearby, along with his brace, his long black leather duster, boots, and belt. Killian also discovered he was no longer wearing his wedding ring either.

Once Killian managed to sit up and leaned back against the pillows behind him, he looked towards the hallway where he saw Emma standing outside of the room talking with her parents and Dr. Whale while they spoke quietly amongst themselves, quietly enough so that he couldn't hear them at all. However, when Emma looked over at him and saw he was awake, she finished their conversation and entered his room as she made her way over to his bedside with a strange, yet familiar look on her face that looked much like it did when he first came to Storybrooke, after he had been struck down by Greg Mendell's car and found himself in the same position as he was in now. A look that made him suddenly feel very uneasy.

"Well… I'm glad to see you're finally awake," Emma said to him almost callously, as she pulled up a chair beside his bed and took a seat, then looked him over before finally keeping her eyes on his. "You appeared to be looking for something before I walked in here. Whatever it is, it's probably among your few belongings we found you with."

"I beg your pardon?" he questioned while he stared at his wife with confusion because of her coldness towards him.

Emma glanced over at the chair where his things lay and continued, "You know, your leather jacket, boots, your fancy belt and sword, which we confiscated by the way… Oh, not to mention that hook you were wearing rather than a prosthetic hand. That's an odd choice of hardware."

Killian continued to look at her with worry as he asked, "I'm not sure I understand. You appear to be cross with me for something. Actually, you appear not to know me at all. Is everything all right, Swan?"

"Don't act like you know me because I certainly would have remembered meeting someone like you before," she curtly retorted while she leaned back in the chair and laid her hand over her badge in a threatening manner, as well as revealing to him her holstered gun on her hip to show it wasn't a good idea to mess with her. "What happened to you? Have a little too much to drink last night, that you couldn't even make it back to wherever it is you're really from? The other sheriff and I found you unconscious on the beach early this morning. Who are you, and how did you get here? From your clothing and seeing as you appear to have become shipwrecked maybe, I gather you're not from around here."

"Emma… What's going on?" the Captain asked far more worryingly than before now that it was clear she definitely didn't know him. "What do you mean, who am I? What's happened? Was there an attack I can't recall? I've never gotten myself drunk enough to forget so much and rarely did I ever before I met you either."

Emma scoffed and then she responded, "So we have met then? Or so you seem to believe. Well I'm sorry, buddy, but you're wrong. I'd say you're nothing more than some strange guy who likes to play pirate, which if you ask me is a little crazy. What is with you wearing a metal hook in place of your hand? What are you really… some kind of creeper straight out of a horror movie? The hook man perhaps?"

When Killian made a move to rise from the bed, he attempted to explain himself as he reached out to touch her hand until Emma immediately cut him off and cuffed his right wrist to the bed's railing while she stated cruelly, "You're not rising from this bed until we've determined you're not a threat."

"You're my wife, Emma," he desperately replied while he struggled against the cuff once again used to keep him like he was a prisoner, but kept his eyes trained firmly on hers. "I'm Killian Jones, your husband. We married a little over a year ago and you took on my name because we fell in love. You even came down into the Underworld after I died so you could bring me home. How do you not remember me?"

"I don't know you and I suggest you stop acting like you know me before I call the other sheriff in here to arrest you," she answered him angrily. "Who are you really? Or maybe these questions are too difficult for you. Try these… What happened to you that caused you to wind up here in the hospital, and what brought you here to Storybrooke, Maine? We're not exactly on any map. Can you answer any of these questions without you sounding completely insane?"

Kilian looked over at his mother and father in laws, then turned back to his wife again and uttered sadly, "You really don't remember me. You have no idea who I am. Nor your parents or anyone else I gather."

Emma became more frustrated with every word out of his mouth and finally let out an exasperated sigh, then questioned once more, "So tell me. Who is Killian Jones? You gave me a name and crazily believe you're my husband… which I don't have by the way, but you haven't given me anything I can believe. How about giving me something a little more concrete."

"You seem to be yourself, or at least your old self from back when you and I first met other than of course the fact you don't remember me…" he continued dejectedly, looking down at her left hand and finally saw she was no longer wearing her wedding band or her engagement ring either. "…so you must know all about your family and our friends being fairytale characters straight out of your son's storybook. You must know you're the Savior and that you have great power within you."

"How could you possibly know about that?" she asked him sternly as she finally stood again, then motioned to her parents to come in as well. "How could you know of my magic, or about everyone here?"

The pirate looked between her and their family while he responded, "Just look in the storybook for me. For Captain Hook. That's who I am, Emma. Or at least it's who I was. You…"

She interrupted him again as she spoke again cruelly saying, "Is that really the best moniker you could come up with? I've been through that book cover to cover and Henry even more so. There's no story in it about a strange and deluded man wearing a long black leather duster, leather pants and fancy clothes, with a hook in place of his left hand. Or even one who simply calls himself Captain Hook."

"And what about Pan?" Killian asked again with deeper frustration in hope of getting to the bottom of what happened to them while he looked between those standing over him. "Peter Pan and Neverland? I helped you and your family get to that cursed land so you could save your boy. I was said to be one of Pan's darkest rivals."

"I'm sorry," she scoffed with disbelief over this man's unwillingness to accept he wasn't who he believed himself to be. "But I don't know what you're talking about. We've never been to Neverland. Two other strangers found their way here and tried to kidnap my son once, but they failed because we stopped them. And as for Pan's rival… there was one I know of from a Disney movie about him. But the Captain's name was Black Beard, not Captain Hook. I've had enough of your delusions. It's time we say goodbye."

The Savior turned to leave until Killian quickly called out, "You and I first met in the Enchanted Forest along with your mother, Mulan, and Princess Aurora. When I was working with Cora and tried to deceive you by lying about who I was then."

Years ago when Emma and Snow became trapped in the Enchanted Forest…

 _Emma and Mulan watched the lone survivor from Cora's attack upon the village they had come to from a distance while the Savior spoke to the warrior asking, "Have you seen him before?"_

 _"Yes, I've seen him around," she sternly replied as she kept her eyes mostly trained on the man she had yet to learn was really a pirate, while Hook kept his head within his hand pretending to be afraid after the witch's attack. "He's a blacksmith. Came to our camp a couple months ago. Said he lost his hand in an ogre attack. Why would Cora leave a survivor?"_

 _"It's messy," Emma said again skeptically. "Doesn't make sense."_

 _Mulan glanced over at her as she questioned, "You think he's lying?"_

 _Emma answered her quietly, "I think Cora's tricked us before. I don't want that to happen again."_

 _"Here you go," she then stated to Killian as she set down a cup of water on the table in front of him while Mary Margaret and Aurora also join them._

 _"I can't thank you enough for your kindness," he responded with sincerity while he looked up at the beautiful woman standing above him. "Fortune, it seems, has seen fit to show me favor."_

 _The Savior looked down at him as she spoke more crossly saying, "An island full of corpses. You're the only one to escape. How exactly did that happen?"_

 _The stranger put on the best performance he could while he looked up at Emma, or stared off as though still in shock as he replied, "She attacked at night, slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop. When she started ripping out people's hearts, I hid under the bodies of those who had already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully, the ruse worked."_

 _"So much for fortune favoring the brave," she retorted._

 _"It was all I could do to survive," he answered in his own defense._

 _Emma then leaned down over the table so she could be more face to face with him and upon sensing he was deceiving them about something, she responded, "I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I'm pretty good at knowing when someone is lying to me."_

 _Hook looked her in her eyes in effort to continuing to appear to be speaking the truth while he replied, "I'm telling you the truth."_

 _"We should leave here in case Cora decides to come back," the warrior said firmly while Emma gently smiled at the man before her._

 _"We should start searching for a new portal back to Storybrooke," Mary Margaret continued on Mulan's suggestion. "I only got about five minutes with my husband, not to mention my grandson."_

 _The supposed blacksmith turned his head to look over at the Princess as he asked, "You have a grandson?"_

 _She quickly answered, "Long story."_

 _"Well, I know this land well," Killian responded as Emma slowly walked around until she was standing behind him. "I can guide you."_

 _"You're not going to guide us anywhere until you tell us who you really are," the Savior replied darkly as she suddenly pulled a large blade, then grabbed the back of his head forcefully by his hair and pulled his head back while she held the knife to his throat, causing him to gasp against the strain._

Killian's mind came back to the present when he turned to Emma again, then continued desperately to try to get through to her as he spoke again saying, "However, you saw right through me and held a knife to my throat. But you saw past my deception and yet together you and I climbed a beanstalk in order to find the compass which got you and your mother back home to Henry and your family. Greg and Tamara… those two strangers you spoke of came here to destroy all magic and anyone who possessed it, who is basically everyone, for Pan. Or for some unknown enemy at the time whom they simply referred to as the home office. They used some magical stone with the power to destroy this entire town, a stone Regina created into her dark curse she cast over everyone here, which you broke because you're the Savior. You planned to use a bean to open a portal so you could send the stone through, but because I was a villain then, I stole the bean from you and my actions forced you to find another way. Together you and Her Majesty stopped her failsafe and saved everyone. Unfortunately, it allowed for Greg and Tamara to kidnap Henry. We all followed them to Neverland in my ship using the magic bean I stole once I came back to help you. I had a change of heart because of you, Emma. You saved me from myself and over time… we fell in love."

Emma suddenly slammed her hand down against the metal bars of his bed angrily, then answered coldly, "This is ridiculous. Just stop!"

"I can't," her husband responded more forcefully and laid his hand tenderly over hers once more despite his wrist remaining cuffed to the bed, until she immediately pulled it away. "I need you to remember me. I need you to remember this villain because this whole town could be in danger because of her. I need you to help me remember her."

"You heard our daughter," David retorted as he stepped forward and was about to grab Killian by the lapels of his jacket until the Savior reached out her arm to hold him back. "Enough is enough."

However, Killian kept his eyes on the woman he loved while he still continued, "None of what we faced was easy by any means, but we fought for our love. Surely a part of you feels what I'm saying is right. Look into my eyes and tell me you see I speak the truth."

Sadly all he saw within her eyes was fear of him as his wife backed away from the bed when she saw just how much he believed his unbelievable story to be true, then she whispered cruelly, "Just because you believe in something, doesn't make it true. Other than your own involvement in this incredible tale you've spun, you got a bit of what happened right. But not enough. Henry is the Author now and he's written every bit of our stories down that weren't already written within the former Author's storybook. You must have read them somehow and created this delusion for yourself so you can make yourself appear to be some hero, or at least more important than you really are. Which makes you sick or maybe just crazy. You'll be free to leave Storybrooke under your own volition as soon as Whale clears you, provided we can trust you won't try to tell anyone else of our town's secrets."

"Emma, wait!" he cried pleadingly. "Please… You have to believe me. Trust me, you do love me as I love you. More than you could ever know. You are my wife. Something's happened to me, but I can't remember what. You don't know who I am, but I need you to save me again."

"I've already told you, I've never been married!" she shouted at him out of anger once again. "And the man I did love once… died because the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz killed him before she died too a couple of years ago. Neal was a hero who found his way back home to me and our son. But thanks to that witch, I'll never find love again with any man, least of all you. Whatever you think you know, you don't. And if you continue going around spreading these lies of yours, or acting like the madman you are, you will leave me no choice but to have you arrested and thrown into one of the cells beneath this hospital. That's where we keep all the crazy people and those who are just dangerous. Just leave us all the hell alone!"

Tears slipped from the corners of Killian's eyes as he allowed his head to sink back into the pillows behind him dejectedly once Emma finally stormed out of the hospital, while her parents began to follow after her until they were stopped by Dr. Whale who then stated, "This stranger was right about one thing. His tox screen came back clean. He isn't drunk. He hasn't had anything to drink at all in at least the last twenty-four hours, if not more."

David sighed in frustration and looked over at his wife, then he replied, "Great. So he isn't some drunk out of his mind, he's delusional. And most likely dangerous. Mary Margaret…"

"Let us know when you release him," the Princess added firmly when she turned to the doctor.

"After that, you'll have to keep your eyes on him until he does leave town," Whale stated.

Mary Margaret took her husband's hand as she asked worryingly, "And if he refuses to leave?"

The sheriff looked into her eyes and answered, "Then like our daughter said, we'll have him thrown into his own prison cell. I'll lock him up if he even so much as goes near Emma again."


	7. Chapter 7

Leather & Lace

Chapter Seven

Six weeks ago in Camelot…

Morgan le Fay sat within her lair among piles and stacks of books she had magically transported from Merlin's home to her own some time ago once she began to search for a way to find this magical land of Storybrooke, a land which didn't appear to exist anywhere within any realm aside from the truth that those living within and around Arthur's castle had been there, and that it is where the dark curse created by the Dark One from the vision that allowed her to witness Merlin's death had sent them to.

After looking for this mysterious land for almost a year through all of the Sorcerer's books, scrolls, and maps, she had grown weary, but she refused to give up. Upon growing particularly discouraged one evening, having allowed her yearning for vengeance against the Dark One consume her in all the time she's spent looking for Storybrooke, Morgana spun around and shoved one of the book stacks off the table upon which they rested on, causing them to crash to the floor, then did the same with two others.

She screamed angrily at the top of her lungs and then finally collapsed into her throne so she could calm herself down. Her owl, who had perched himself upon a small rock ledge above his mistress, flew down and sat on an arm of her chair and the villainess gently reached out her hand to stroke his wings and body.

After several minutes passed between them in silence, a quiet voice gently spoke up from above the Sorceress and she immediately sat up straighter while she looked around her lair for any signs of an invader, yet found no one. However, the voice continued once again, this time a little louder than before and Morgan Le Fay finally recognized it as it belonged to Merlin.

The words he spoke to her were not words of encouragement, but words of warning as he stated, "The answers you seek will not be found where you expect them, Morgana. And you won't gain the satisfaction you seek should you go through with finding this new land."

The witch grew cold as she asked, "Merlin… how is it you're speaking to me as though you're right here with me? You are dead, aren't you?"

"You know I am," the Sorcerer replied firmly. "Otherwise, you never would have been released from within the prison I entombed you in so long ago. My death weakened all of my magic I spread throughout Camelot, more than enough for you to awaken and break yourself free. As for how I'm speaking to you now… death may have taken my body from this earth, but my soul remains. Rather than descending to the Underworld and beyond, I chose to remain here because I knew the time would come when you would be close to finding your current path of destruction."

"Are you here to help me find my way to this… Storybrooke, or are you just here to try to dissuade me from seeking my revenge?" she asked again while she cautiously rose to her feet with the owl who then perched himself upon her arm. "Because if a warning is the only reason why you've come, then you're only wasting your afterlife. Haunting me won't stop me now."

Merlin suddenly appeared before Morgan Le Fay as a phantom and stared at the woman before him sadly, then he responded, "I know. Only you can change your own heart. But please tell me, why do you so desperately seek vengeance against the man you've learned killed me a year ago? He isn't who you think he is."

She sneered at him and answered, "I know that he's the Dark One and that he killed you so he could somehow cast the dark curse that brought them to Storybrooke."

"Yes, he was the Dark One then," the Sorcerer replied despondently. "Because the darkness immediately consumed him and made him a man he wasn't any longer. Killian Jones was a good man until the woman he loved saw no other choice than to force the darkness into him to prevent him from dying. Sadly, he saw her act of love as an act of betrayal and his anger got to the better of him. But I don't blame him for his actions. I too failed to be of help to him as I tried to be for the woman who loves him. I saw a vision of him becoming a Dark One and I couldn't stop it from happening. I couldn't protect him from himself. But none of that is what I meant. I mean he isn't that man any longer. He's still a good man, living a happy life with a good woman who loves him very deeply. If you find Storybrooke and find him, you will attempt to destroy more than just one man. Please, Morgana… don't do this."

"You betrayed me, Merlin!" Morgan Le Fay shouted angrily. "You used my own magic against me and entombed me right here within my own lair. I slept for hundreds of years and when I awoke, I learned that my brother was already dead at another villain's hands and not my own as your prophecy predicted. Apparently, our parents' immortality didn't transfer into Arthur as well. I also learned that my parents somehow managed to rid themselves of what they saw was a curse because they died when Arthur had barely become a man. You took everything away from me and left me with nothing! I will find Storybrooke and I will kill the man who stole my one chance at revenge if it's the last thing I do. There is nothing you can do to stop me."

The most powerful Sorcerer let out a sad sigh and then he responded, "If you do as you hope to do, you will find yourself within a battle against more than you will be capable of defeating. I may not have been able to do more than imprison you, Morgana. But those who love this man you seek vengeance on are powerful and the power they hold within their possession is limitless. They will be able to do more than I was able to do."

The villainess smiled cruelly as she answered, "So long as I am able to destroy this man even if not in death, then it doesn't matter what happens to me. I wasn't strong enough to prevent you from imprisoning me here, Merlin. However, I am far more powerful now than I was before and I will succeed, even if I have to destroy all of Storybrooke to do it. They won't defeat me as you did. I suggest you go find your peaceful afterlife now. Because there's nothing you can do or say to me now will keep me from my path."

Merlin nodded sadly and then finally disappeared, leaving Morgan Le Fay alone again at last, except for her owl who loyally remained with her. She gently stroked his head and sent it off to fly out into the forest as she used her magic once again to see through his eyes while together they sought answers elsewhere throughout all of Camelot and the forest that surrounded the kingdom.


	8. Chapter 8

Leather & Lace

Chapter Eight

Killian rested within the hospital bed with his head back against the pillows in silence for only a few minutes as he went over his words to Emma in his mind, as well as her own words to him, struggling to think if there was anything else he could have said to convince her he had spoken the truth, or simply to assure her and her family he wasn't a threat. Nothing came to mind, so instead he focused on trying to remember his encounter with the villain who attacked him that morning on the beach while he struggled to free himself from the cuffs keeping him detained to the bed. It would have been far easier to do if he only had his hook, but he's slipped from a pair of handcuffs before, the first time Emma had cuffed him to a hospital bed after being hit by the car years ago in fact.

Back then he had simply pulled on the restraints hard enough until one end of the cuffs broke open, despite the pain it caused in his wrist. However, thanks when David had cuffed him to a bicycle rack to try to keep him from stopping him from attacking King George down in the cells beneath the hospital, Killian figured out another way to free himself. It was still painful, but not nearly as much and it was surprisingly simple to do.

The pirate glanced out in the hallway and saw the way was clear, so he looked down at his hand while he twisted his wrist within the cuff, then dislocated his thumb so he could pull his hand through the metal ring. Using his mouth to help him hold his thumb in place, Killian then pulled back his hand so he could reset the limb. He cringed at the pain doing so caused, but quickly ignored it and rose to his feet, then walked over to the chair where his brace and boots had been laid aside for him so he could put them back on before leaving the hospital without waiting for the doctor to come in to release him.

When he walked down the corridor and slipped out the door, he failed to see Grumpy standing within a doorway hidden by the shadows where the lights in the ceiling above him didn't touch. The dwarf whom David had tasked to keep an eye on Hook pulled out his phone and quickly sent a text to both sheriffs, then he cautiously followed after the pirate.

From inside the sheriff's station, David read the text sent to him and glanced at his daughter from where they were both sitting alone at their own desks, seeing that she had received the same message, but then ignored it as she laid her phone back down before going back to the paperwork piled up beside her. David on the other hand turned to his wife who stood beside him and shrugged, then stood up.

"I guess I'll go watch the stranger without her," he said in frustration while he picked up his coat he had hung over his chair to put it on, then checked his service weapon and made sure he still had on his badge.

"She's just disturbed by the things this guy said to her, David," she answered in concern while she also turned her head to look at their daughter. "You have to admit it's strange by how much he knew about us all. He was wrong about some of those events he spoke of, but he was also right about a lot of them too. How could he know so much? Even if he did read the book somehow, some of the things he knew isn't in it."

Her husband shook his head as he replied, "I don't know, Mary Margaret. I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of who he really is, but if we're going to that, then I have to go before Leroy loses him. It only took him a few minutes before he left the hospital. He's a sneaky bastard. Let Emma know for me?"

She nodded, then responded, "I will. Just be careful, David."

"Try to relax," he stated as he walked towards the door to leave. "He may be crazy, but I don't really think he's dangerous. Unless of course he continues to force his delusions on Emma again. Don't worry, I won't let that happen."

"I know," his wife answered and kissed him before he finally left as Emma glanced up to watch them, until she saw her mother turned towards her again, then quickly turned away again to get back to the work on her desk.

Meanwhile, Killian walked down the street until he finally came upon Gold's shop where he hoped the Dark One would be so he could help him get to the bottom of what happened to him. If anyone could help him figure out who this villainess was, it would be him since Emma and her parents wouldn't talk to him after the things said in the hospital.

Unfortunately, the sign in the window indicated the shop was closed and as he looked through the windows to see inside, the lights were all off and everything appeared to be covered by white linens as though it hasn't been open for some time. He reached down to the doorknob to try to see if it would open with a little effort, but found it too was secure.

It was then that David came up beside him along with Grumpy, as the Prince spoke up saying, "If the first thing you're thinking about doing after escaping from the hospital is to break into the Dark One's shop, then you're really not making it too easy for us to trust you're not going to be a problem."

Killian glared at him while he replied, "I wasn't trying to break in. I just hoped to talk with Gold about the woman who attacked me down on the beach. Seeing as you weren't willing to listen to anything I had to say back there, I thought I would try to find someone else who might be willing to help me."

"If you think going to the Dark One is a good idea, then you must be crazier than we all already thought," Leroy responded crossly.

"I don't expect either of you to understand, mate," the Captain answered as he looked between both men. "Would you mind telling me where I might find him so he can turn me down himself?"

The dwarf looked at him strangely and replied, "He isn't here anymore. At least he's not around to cause trouble for us anymore."

David quickly corrected him as he responded, "What Leroy's trying to say is that Rumplestiltskin is once again locked away within a prison he can't break out of. He's down below these streets within the mines."

"But how… Gold is a changed man," Killian uttered worryingly. "He changed, chose love for the first time over his power. Surely he and Belle are still married?"

"Married?" Grumpy retorted in disbelief. "They never married. Belle finally saw the Dark One as the monster he really is."

David nodded and then continued, "Leroy's right. Gold's heart completely darkened some time ago, making it so that the man inside of him disappeared until the monster was all who was left. We had to find a way to imprison him again like we did before a long time ago."

Hook sighed out of frustration, then asked, "All right… then perhaps I'll go down into the mines so I can try to talk with him. Surely he'll be happy to make some kind of…"

"Deal?" the sheriff interrupted him curtly. "You really must be crazy if you think we're going to allow you to get a hundred feet in front of him. For all we know, you're working for him and have come to town to break him out too. That could explain how you managed to get into Storybrooke and maybe even know so much about us."

"Trust me, if the Crocodile really has become truly evil, then I would have nothing to do with him," Killian answered while he rubbed his brow in frustration. "I spent two hundred years hating that man. I would never help him harm those I love willingly, as I love all of you. I would never help him to harm anyone. And the things I've told you, I know because I truly am a part of this world thanks all of you and… and Emma. Please believe me, David."

David kept his eyes on Killian as he cruelly replied, "Because you're married to my daughter? You are no son of mine. You're nothing, but a vile pirate who needs to go back to wherever the hell you've come from now. And if you can't, then we'll think of a way to get you there. Become a bigger problem than you've already shown, we'll find you a new home that won't be nearly as comfortable. Do you have a ship?"

The Captain shook his head sadly as he responded, "Seeing as I've somehow come to cease to exist, I'm guessing the Jolly Roger is in someone else's hands. Most likely Black Beard's hands. I have to fix this. Would you mind if I walked down to Granny's to grab myself something to eat. Or is that too much trouble?"

"Grumpy and I will walk you there," Charming said as he crossed him arms. "I could go for some eggs and bacon."

"So can I," the dwarf added as he shoved Hook forward, then the three of them headed down the street to the diner. "And some coffee too. Get moving, pirate. I'm hungry."


	9. Chapter 9

Leather & Lace

Chapter Nine

When they entered the diner, Killian saw several more of their friends inside as well including most of the other dwarfs, Archie, Marco, August, and Belle. He started towards them so he could join them until he figured they would most likely be just as unreceptive of him as the others. Not that he could really blame them. He was acting like a madman, just as he had sounded when he had tried to convince Emma of the truth when he went after her in New York to jog her memories.

A few years ago in New York City…

 _Once the Savior and woman he loved arrived in Central Park at the entrance to the zoo where he told her he would be waiting for her and made her way over to him, with the sound of relief in his voice, Killian uttered quietly, "Swan… I knew that'd work. It's good to see you again."_

 _Emma responded to him angrily, "Why didn't you tell me that was Neal's place?"_

 _"I think the tone of your voice answers that quite clearly," he answered sternly. "You never would have gone if I had."_

 _"What does Neal have you up to?" she continued to question the oddly dressed stranger in frustration. "Is he trying to get into Henry's life? How does he even know about him?"_

 _Hook looked into her eyes while he replied more firmly, "I've already told you. I'm not here because of Neal. I'm here because your parents are in trouble. Their entire kingdom has been cursed, ripped back to Storybrooke."_

 _Emma glared at him strangely as she curtly asked, "What are you talking about? My parents? Their kingdom? A curse? Do you know what you sound like?"_

 _"Like a mad man, I'm sure," he responded to her in defeat. "But it's true. Your parents need you. You're the only one who can save them. If you don't believe me at all, why did you come here?"_

 _"Because Neal has a camera with my son's name on it," she answered and reached down to pull out the camera's strap from her purse so she could show it and the name to him. "How?"_

 _Killian quickly replied, "Don't you see? That is proof of what I'm saying. Henry must have left that in the apartment when you were in New York last year."_

 _With determination, Emma retorted, "Not good enough. I want answers… Real ones."_

 _"There's only one way you'll get those," her stalker finally responded, as he reached down to his belt and pulled out a small blue bottle, then held it out to her. "Drink this."_

 _"Drink the thing the crazy guy just offered me?" the woman without her real memories cynically answered. "No, thank you."_

 _He scoffed and then replied, "It'll help you remember everything you have lost."_

 _She turned her head as she looked at him again with distrust while he continued, "If one small part of you senses that, don't you owe it to yourself to find out if I'm right? What do you say, love? Take a leap of faith. Give it a go."_

 _"Call me 'love' one more time, and you'll lose the other hand," Emma then said without feeling, while she suddenly cuffed Killian's wrist with one side of a pair of handcuffs and quickly latched the other end to the park bench behind him so he couldn't go anywhere, almost as she had done to him way back when they had climbed the beanstalk together in the Enchanted Forest._

 _"Swan, what are you doing?" Killian asked her sadly when she stood back up tall before him._

 _He struggled against the restraints as she glared at him and responded, "I'm making sure that you never bother my son or me again."_

 _She quickly whistled, which was when two officers then approached the scene upon hearing the woman's signal indicating she was ready for them, then Emma turned to them while she called out, "This is the guy, the one who assaulted me."_

 _"It was a kiss," the stalker answered frustratingly, turning his eyes back on Emma when she started to back away from him._

 _"There," Emma stated. "He confessed."_

 _One of the cops read the criminal his rights as he spoke up saying, "You're under arrest for assault and criminal harassment, sir. You have the right to remain silent."_

 _When the woman walked away from them, Hook struggled to break free of their hold on him while he cried out, "Swan, please, you're making a mistake…"_

 _"A terrible, terrible mistake!" her stalker shouted more forcefully over him while the officer continued with the rights. "Swan! Your family needs you!"_

Killian pushed aside the memory his mind drifted off to again and walked over to the counter where Granny was finishing putting a patron's money into her cash register, then she turned to him while she curtly asked, "What can I get for you, pirate?"

He looked at her in frustration as he replied, "I see word about me has spread already, as always. How about a glass of rum?"

"It's barely ten o'clock in the morning," David responded with disbelief. "There'll be no drinking for you either. I won't risk you getting yourself drunk even if you do feel as frustrated as the rest of us do. Rum won't help you figure anything out."

"You're right," Killian stated honestly, then turned back to Granny once more. "Can I please have a couple of pancakes with a side of bacon? As well as some sourdough toast. Thank you, love."

The old woman glared at him as she retorted coldly, "Call me 'love' one more time and you'll get nothing."

David laughed and then spoke up to order as well saying, "Leroy and I will have your breakfast special, Granny. And two coffees. Can you scramble the eggs?"

"Sure thing," she answered, then walked away to return to her kitchen.

"Look, mate… I do understand that I acted rashly when I spoke to your daughter in the hospital," Killian said again when he turned back to David. "I don't blame you for not trusting me. You certainly didn't trust me when we first met for real and for years afterwards. However, I ask that you at least try to keep an open mind when I try again to explain myself."

The sheriff shook his head as he scoffed, then replied, "If you're still going to try to claim you're married to Emma, then we've got nothing to talk about. I don't really care."

Killian looked at his friend with contempt while he responded, "You never really have changed, have you? We may have become friends eventually, but you're still the same stubborn bastard you were when we were in Neverland together. How is it that you can spout words of hope and love to everyone here in Storybrooke, while you judge me simply based on the way I dress? Like a pirate. You're always so willing to help everyone you come across, yet not me. Not before and not now either."

"It isn't the clothes that are the problem," David answered in confusion.

"Oh really?" the man in black curtly retorted. "Because before you even spoke to me when I awoke in the hospital, the look in your eyes said everything. You already saw me as a pirate, which is why it was so easy for you to call me such the first chance you got. It's the first name you thought of. But I'm telling you, I'm not a villain any longer and I'm not a threat to any of you. If you won't help me, if I can't convince Emma to help me…"

Before Killian even had a chance to defend himself, David suddenly swung his fist and punched him square in the jaw without another word, knocking him down to the floor, then while Hook laid his hand over the lower half of his face to try to help ease the pain left there, the Prince glared down at him as he shouted, "You're not to go near my daughter again. She's already lost herself because she can't let go of her past. She may barely speak to any of us anymore, but we haven't lost hope that one day she'll turn around and be the Savior she used to be again."

Killian looked at his father in law worryingly while he questioned, "What do you mean the Savior she used to be? She is still the Savior, isn't she?"

"She hasn't been for awhile now," he replied coldly, then walked away to sit in one of the booths across from Leroy and the other dwarfs before he took his anger out on the pirate again.

"You look like you could use some help," Belle then stated when she appeared over him as Killian struggled to stand again, then reached her hand out for him take so she could help him up. "And perhaps a friend. I'm Belle. You are?"

He took her hand and rose back to his feet with her help, then brushed himself off before turning back to the young woman as he responded, "Killian Jones. And I know who you are. We are friends, or at least we used to be before everything went to hell. This new reality I'm trapped in is almost worse than the actual Underworld."

Belle looked at him strangely as she answered, "I'm afraid I don't understand. New reality?"

"Never mind," Hook replied, then turned back to the counter and took a seat on one of the barstools as Granny set down a coffee in front of him as well even though he hadn't ordered any. "I'm sorry about speaking out of line earlier. But I should probably go. I have to try to figure out how everything went so wrong if I can. Before everyone either runs me out of town on a rail, or throws me into the nuthouse. My problems aren't yours, so don't worry about this old pirate. Oh… and I'm sorry about Gold too."

"You really must not know me as well as you seem to think you do," she skeptically responded. "Rumple and I have been over a long time. I finally had enough of him choosing his power over me. He's purely the Dark One now. Perhaps I can help you, if you'd like. You don't seem to be having too much luck with convincing anyone else to help you."

Killian looked at her strangely as he questioned, "Why would you want to? Don't you see me as a pirate too? Or worse? Everyone else does."

Belle smiled at him and then answered, "I simply see a man in need of a little kindness. A man desperately seeking for someone to believe in him. I know what it's like to not have anyone believe in me when I needed them to."

"Thank you, Belle," he replied sincerely. "I'm not sure if I will ever be able to repay your kindness, but I'll certainly try."

"There's no need," the beauty said gently. "Something tells me you already have. Perhaps in the life you say you've lost."


	10. Chapter 10

Leather & Lace

Chapter Ten

"So, why don't you tell me what you can remember about your attack," Belle continued as Granny set down the breakfast she ordered on the countertop in front of her. "Maybe together we can try to figure who he… or she… is."

"She claimed herself to be from Camelot," Killian replied in frustration, rubbing his brow again while he tried to think back to last night and earlier this morning. "She arrived last night supposedly through a portal, though no one actually witnessed a portal opening somewhere. We were all here in the diner when she came in. Me, Emma, her parents, and Regina that is. She called herself Maura… Modena… Morgana. Morgana, that was it. At least I think so. Whatever her curse, or spell did to me, did to everyone else's memories… it must have affected my own memories somehow too. I can barely remember what she looked like, other than that she had dark hair. And bright green eyes. She's powerful. I was suddenly struck down by an immobilizing spell, then I the next thing I knew, I woke up in the hospital and nothing was the same. Everyone's lives have been drastically altered somehow and for some reason, I've ceased to exist. But that's all I can remember. I'm hoping you could help me to figure out what's changed. I know you're no longer married to Gold, Emma's no longer married to me and she appears to be so… lost."

The young woman finally spoke again saying, "Perhaps it's better if I don't tell you anything more. Not that I don't want to help you, Killian… because I do, but if what you're telling me is true, then surely it would only make you loathe yourself that much more than the small part of you which already does and that small part of you will only grow. Do you really want that?"

The Captain looked behind him towards David and their friends, most of whom kept their eyes trained on him as though he was going to turn on them like the man he had been when he shot Belle years ago to make his oldest enemy suffer all over again, then he turned away and answered despondently, "As long as I get to the truth and figure out a way to fix all of this, then how I feel doesn't matter."

"No one truly knows just how much of an impact one has on the lives of those around them," Belle responded softly while she laid her hand tenderly over his. "Especially on those closest to them. You said everyone's forgotten you, yet no one appears to have forgotten anyone else. And everyone's lives are different, but what if it isn't because they've all been cursed, only you. You were after all the one who was attacked. From what you've told me, it seems like you've never been born and therefore nothing of what you've said and done, neither good nor bad, will ever have happened."

"I'm not sure I understand," Killian replied in confusion while he turned his head to look over at the beauty again.

She nodded and then continued, "When David and Leroy walked into the diner with you earlier, David made it pretty clear he really despised you. I don't mean to insult you, it's just that I'm trying to help you to understand. He's probably not too thrilled with you because you claimed you're married to his daughter, but I'm guessing he really cared about you before all of this happened to you, like a son perhaps? Because you don't exist now, your friendship with him was never forged and he sees you as nothing, but what you appear to be… a pirate. As for whatever else is going on, you'll have to figure it out for yourself. I don't know what all is different for you, because I don't know the real you if you're really speaking the truth. Only you know that. However, if you'd like for me to do some research on this villain from Camelot, who may possibly be a witch or sorceress, I can try. I've only ever heard of one powerful being from that kingdom. Merlin, a very powerful sorcerer."

Hook bowed his head out of shame as he answered, "Aye… I know of him also. I was the one who killed him."

"And you really believe Emma would have married a murderer," David stated cruelly as he then came up behind them upon listening to as much of their conversation as he could.

"Look… I've no excuse for killing the people I have, nor am I trying to justify my actions either, but all of you have forgiven me for the sins of my past including your daughter," Killian responded pleadingly as the sheriff then grabbed the pirate by the back of his jacket and shoved him back against the counter to arrest him. "You've managed to forgive Regina despite all she's done to all of you, including the dark curse that kept you frozen in time without memories of who you are for twenty-eight years."

The Prince glared at him as he replied, "Because we know who she is and that she's no longer the Evil Queen. We don't know you and you just admitted to killing someone. More than one person in fact. My theory that you're here working for the Dark One is sounding more and more plausible to me the more you open your mouth, pirate."

Belle tried to get in between them as she attempted to stand up for Killian while she said firmly, "You know you can't arrest him for simply being a pirate because you don't like or trust them. And one could easily argue that Killian's so called confession was nothing more than words taken out of context."

"If he's working for Rumplestiltskin, I could find out the truth from him in a matter of minutes, if you'll let me," Regina then answered from the back door of the diner after she had walked in a few minutes ago, having heard most of the conversation exchanged between David and Hook.

"I think it'll be better if we give this man a chance to explain himself in an interrogation that doesn't involve the use of dark magic first, Regina," a hero Killian was shocked to see among the others responded as he moved out into the open from the back of the diner until he was standing beside the woman he loved. "So far, he's done us no harm. We can get the truth out of him."

Killian stared at him as he stuttered, "Robin? But how… How are you alive?"

The archer turned to the pirate and then spoke again saying, "I don't believe you and I have ever met before. I'm pretty certain I would remember someone dressed like yourself. And I usually don't associate myself with pirates. Not unless I have to."

"I'm really sorry to have to do this, mate, but I'll never get to the bottom of what's happened to me if I'm to be arrested, so… I really hope you can forgive me for this later," Hook said quietly as he turned to his father in law again and suddenly swung his fist to punch David hard in his face to knock him down as the sheriff had done to him earlier, then Killian ran from the diner before Regina could even use her power to stop him.

"Leroy, I need you and the other dwarfs to spread out around town and see what you can do to find him," David called out to his friend angrily as he struggled to stand again with Robin's help. "Some of you should begin with the tunnels below the streets. Hook seems to know a lot about not only us, but about Storybrooke as well. He could be going anywhere. Regina and Robin, see what you can do to find him, be it through magic or just hunting him down. I'll join in the search too as soon as I go talk with Mary Margaret and Emma so they'll know the pirate's dangerous just like we feared he would be. Leroy and I caught him snooping around outside of Gold's shop. I suspect he might be here to help set Rumplestiltskin free and if that's true… Let's just say we can't risk him being free until my theory is proven wrong. Now get going."


	11. Chapter 11

Leather & Lace

Chapter Eleven

Only days ago in Camelot…

The dark Sorceress roamed through the forest alone most nights since she had begun her search for Storybrooke a year ago as she watched her pet fly high above the trees and continued to use her magic within her to see all of the kingdom through the creature's eyes. Doing so always calmed her. This night was no different as she walked along the cold hard ground once more with bare feet for hours to clear her mind. However, tonight the time was close at hand at last, as Morgan Le Fay finally found her way to Storybrooke.

When she re-entered her lair as midnight came around, the witch waved her hands to open the crypt's wall before her, opening up a secret passage and walked down the narrow stone steps into a dungeon below where one man sat within a cell in silence while meditating in order to quell his anger towards the villainess who captured him and separated him from his daughter.

Morgana spoke to him first as she whispered, "I'm glad to see that you've calmed your temper. We will finally be able to talk civilly. So tell me… hatter, you're the portal jumper I've heard others tell about from a land called Wonderland. Is this true?"

"Like I told you before when you first took me prisoner, I am merely a hatter and an amateur cartographer," he answered coldly without looking up at the woman standing above him. "Nothing more. And I come from many lands, many realms. I don't like to stay in one place for too long."

"Do you have a name?" the Sorceress questioned him. "Or should I just keep calling you hatter or something worse?"

The prisoner lifted his head at last and glared at her while he uttered, "Jefferson. Only Jefferson. I promise, I only make hats and maps. That's all."

She smiled down at him and responded, "Yes. But you travel from realm to realm and that is what I am interested in. One special realm in particular. I understand you've spent many years within a land called Storybrooke and that you can get me there."

"I've never heard of it," Jefferson lied and then stood back on his feet using the ground and prison bars to help him stand. "But it sounds lovely."

"Yes it does," Morgan Le Fay replied with a cruel grin. "It sounds like a lovely place to raise a daughter. It's a shame you chose to leave it so you could show… Grace, is that it? …so you could show Grace the rest of the worlds you've travelled. If you had stayed, you wouldn't be here in my grasp now and in danger of losing her or your very life. Don't bother trying to deny any of what I've just said. I've been searching for Storybrooke for some time now and I've done whatever it takes until I finally found you. I discovered everything I could about you so that I would have the leverage over you in order convince you to do as I need you to do. You will open me a portal into Storybrooke. Because if you refuse, you will lose your daughter. I found you and though you've hidden her from me to protect her, it's only a matter of time before I will find her too."

Jefferson glared coldly at the witch as he retorted angrily, "You won't get near her. She is well protected even from the likes of you."

The Sorceress moved in closer until their faces were an inch apart despite the bars of his cell between them, then she spoke again smugly saying, "You've never met anyone like me before. Last chance. Open me a portal into Storybrooke and I will set you free to return to her, or your daughter's life will end and only you will be to blame for her death. I'll leave you alone to rot in this cell while you wallow in self-pity for however long you're granted to live beyond tonight. Will you make the right choice?"

"I'll do like you've asked," Jefferson finally answered with deep regret, then took a few steps back and turned away from her out of shame. "All I need is the hat you took from my head when you first captured me."

"But you must give me your word you will set me free and leave my daughter and I in peace," he quickly added fervently as he spun around and faced her once again.

Morgana flicked her wrist as she summoned the top hat Jefferson had on him into the palm of her hand, then waved her other hand over the dungeon's bars to disintegrate them and responded, "Then you have it. Your hat… and my word. As soon as you open this portal, I will leave this world and you too will be able to run free to wherever your heart's content."

The Mad Hatter looked down at the hat as she placed it into his hands, then looked back into the witch's eyes while he knelt down on the ground once more and replied coldly, "You will want to step back. The portals always open wide."

At last, he laid the hat down on the floor with its opening face up and spun it using his own magic, opening a portal that would lead Morgan Le Fay to the magical realm she sought for reasons she refused to disclose to him. Not wanting to betray the friends he left behind when he and his daughter left Storybrooke years earlier, a part of him considered opening a portal into a world that was far from Storybrooke and the realm where he left his daughter behind in with someone he trusted to keep her safe. However, Jefferson feared she would come after him to make good on her word to kill Paige and if she did so, it would be his fault. A fault he would never be able to live with. So the hatter kept his word and the dark Sorceress jumped into the portal that would lead her directly to the target of her vengeance.


	12. Chapter 12

Leather & Lace

Chapter Twelve

Upon leaving Granny's, Killian immediately ran across the street and ducked into the thin opening between the two buildings, then backed into the shadows where he knew he could hide long enough as the dwarfs ran out of the diner after him and began their search for him. Once they ran past him and watched as both Robin and Regina walked in the direction of the Queen's vault, while David walked towards the station where Killian figured Emma and Snow were, then he groaned in frustration before finally heading to the closest entrance into the mines below.

Truth be told, Killian hated walking through them. He had been down in them a few times, but ever since his first time entering them when he had fought Maleficent's mummified corpse as a distraction for Regina a long time ago while they were both still villains, he's always felt uneasy. However, if Gold was a prisoner somewhere within them, then Killian knew he had to brave the tunnels if he wanted any answers on what might have happened to him and how he could undo the witch's curse on him, or on the town… whatever the circumstance may be.

"My, my, my… well over a year has passed since someone has been by to visit and yet I don't recognize the fool now standing before me," Rumple uttered from within the darkness inside his cage keeping him from unleashing his own darkness upon those of Storybrooke once Killian finally found the cavern that held the villain in after searching for over an hour. "You are either very brave to seek a word with me, or you don't really understand who and what I am."

"Actually, I know you better than anyone, Crocodile," Killian responded while he cautiously continued to step closer towards the cage in effort to see his former enemy's face through the shadows. "At least this side of you I do. Because I spent two hundred years hunting you down out of revenge for cutting off my hand and for killing a woman I loved long ago in the reality I know. Milah, your wife. But now, Belle is the only one who knows the good part of you whom you destroyed when you supposedly allowed the darkness to take over. Now she's given up trying to see anymore beyond the beast."

The Dark One stepped into the light at last, revealing to Killian that he had returned to being the villain who used to haunt Killian's dreams, as he was no longer Mr. Gold, but Rumplestiltskin once again. A smug grin adorned his face, though confusion filled his eyes as the dark being looked into the stranger's still standing before him.

He stared at Killian while he replied, "It's certainly curious how you appear to know so much, when I know nothing about you beyond what you've just told me. You say you loved the woman who was my wife two centuries ago. Few men live so long, yet there is no way you could have known of her if you hadn't. So tell me, dearie… what are you? How are you still alive and what do you mean about this reality you claim to be from?"

"I'm nothing more than a pirate who traveled to Neverland and remained there until I could one day kill you," Killian answered darkly, taking a few steps back again when the prisoner moved to stand against the bars of his cell as he reached out to touch him as though to see Killian wasn't a ghost coming to haunt him. "However, I came here a few years ago and I met another woman who saved me from my own darkness that once consumed me too. I was able to let go of my hate for you and the Savior and I fell in love. We married. But then I was cursed. I've somehow ceased to exist as though I was never even born. Everyone here is different. Their lives have changed, including yours."

"Please do elaborate," the villain responded out of curiosity. "How is my life different?"

Hook turned his back to him as he replied, "Last night and this morning, you were my friend. We've both put our pasts behind us and you were married to the woman you loved just as I was. The Savior succeeded in bringing us all our happy endings and now because of some witch and this curse she cast, everything's changed. Nothing is as it was and I've been erased from existence."

Rumplestiltskin laughed eerily and then retorted, "Or perhaps just over you."

"What do you mean, just over me?" Killian asked curtly. "Belle said something of the same, but how does a curse cast over one person change everyone else around me, yet not me too? I remember everything, other than the entire moment that everything changed. I am still here and if you don't know who I am… if I never existed, then how is it I still possess a hook I replaced my hand you stole from me with? Or at least I did possess a hook, which is actually currently in David's possession somewhere."

"How am I supposed to know?" the Dark One answered and then laughed before he continued. "Perhaps the curse hasn't fully finished its course. Or perhaps this is simply what this witch who cursed you wanted for you. If what you say is the truth that is. For you to live with the pain of losing the life you once knew while no one ever knows you've ever lived. Especially the woman you love."

Killian shook his head as he responded, "That doesn't explain why everyone else's lives are so drastically altered. My life isn't that important to where my nonexistence would change everyone so much. Everyone here were heroes long before I came to Storybrooke. Emma was the Savior before she ever met me."

Rumple nodded and replied, "Yes… I had heard she's since lost her faith in herself and the strength she once possessed. Perhaps if she hadn't, she would have been there for others when they needed her instead of just thinking about her own pain and misery. Apparently she had quite the falling out with her parents because it turns out that Snow White and Prince Charming aren't quite the heroes they made themselves out to be."

"Emma lost herself because she couldn't forgive her parents for hurting Lily and her mother?" Killian questioned, though more to himself than Gold as he struggled to work his thoughts out in his mind. "But she did forgive them. Because I… I helped her see…"

 _Before he finished his train of thought, he fell silent when his mind wandered back to one quiet afternoon after Emma, Regina, and Robin had returned from a journey to find Lily for Maleficent, as well as to save Robin from Zelena, as Killian sat beside the woman he loved within the harbor to watch the horizon as the sun set while he made an effort to comfort her._

 _"What are we lookin' at?" Emma finally asked after they walked there and sat for several minutes in silence._

 _"The horizon," Hook stated as he motioned his head to have her look in the distance before them._

 _She did so, but quickly asked in confusion, "Is it doing something?"_

 _Hook turned his head back to look at her as he answered, "Well, I just thought you'd find it calming."_

 _"It is," Emma responded. "So is rum."_

 _"Emma, I can tell that your heart is uneasy," Killian said again gently, concerned that there was nothing more he could do or say to help ease her pain. "And it's my job... Well, I hope it's my job, to protect your heart, even when no one is physically trying to steal it."_

 _Emma looked at him as she replied with confidence, "You don't have to stop me from going after Gold. I'm smarter than that. He didn't turn my heart dark, and I'm not gonna fall into one of his traps."_

 _Hook looked down, then back at her once again and answered, "I'm not worried him getting to your heart. I was talking about your parents."_

 _"Oh, we talked about this," she spoke with a sigh._

 _"I talked, you walked away," he retorted and then continued to speak the harsh truth he knew she needed to hear. "I just wanna know, is anything gonna be enough? Or are you willing to lose them just to spite them?"_

 _Emma turned away from him as she held out her hand and responded, "Gimme back the rum."_

 _Hook did as she asked and then continued on even when she tried to interrupt him, not giving her the chance to do replying, "They've done a lot of good. Turned themselves into heroes. Yes, I know they didn't own up to what they did. But did you ever think maybe they were ashamed? And they wanted you to like them."_

 _"I'd like them more if... I'd known they turned themselves around," she answered in frustration. "I like when people find their good hearts along the way."_

 _He grinned timidly and rolled his head, then responded sincerely, "They were trying to protect you, Swan. Twice. Before you were born, they wanted to make you happy. And when they found you again, they wanted to make you proud. Do you want both those to be failures?"_

Rumplestiltskin broke Killian from the memory to bring him back to the present as the Dark One spoke again saying, "Earth to… uh… well, I don't believe you actually ever told me your name. Not that it really matters. Are you still with me?"

Killian nodded while he turned back to face the villain again and replied, "Aye. I was just thinking back to a conversation between Emma and… Never mind that. I can help you escape a life within this cage you put yourself in again, but I need you to help me. I'm struggling to remember my attack and the face of my attacker. All I seem to be able to remember is the color of the villainess' eyes and her hair. But I'm not concerned about that so much as I am about how to break this curse and restoring things to how they are meant to be."

"I can help you, pirate," the Dark One answered arrogantly as he sneered at the pirate who sought him out for answers. "Provided of course that you break me out of this cell. That is my price."

"I told you I would help you escape an eternity in this prison, not help you to escape so long as you're the bloody Dark One," the pirate Captain responded curtly. "I know you well enough to know you will only betray me at the first chance you get and then wreak great havoc upon everyone I care about. But if we can make things right, wouldn't a happy life with Belle and your son be better than a lonely life filled with darkness while remaining a prisoner in here?"

Rumplestiltskin looked darkly into Killian's eyes while he replied cruelly, "And should you be as delusional as you sound, then I've offered you my help for nothing at all because there is no way you will have the opportunity to return here twice to set me free when you fail. Set me free now and I will assist you in defeating this so-called witch, or prepare yourself to live the rest of your life… however long it may be, alone, forgotten, and unloved. And most likely in a prison cell within the nuthouse."

Killian looked down at his hand and immediately missed his wedding band which should have been there, then he looked once more into Rumple's eyes as he steadfastly answered, "That is a risk I'm willing to take then. I've made too many mistakes in my past making deals with you. I won't make that mistake again even if there's the slightest chance you won't betray me again. I care too much for Emma and everyone else here to let you hurt them. Right now they only see me as a villain. Setting you free would only confirm their accusations. I'm no longer a villain. I'll find a way to prove it to them without resorting to you and your dark magic."

"Then I suggest you find a place to hide yourself very quickly unless you want to end up in that prison cell sooner," the Dark One responded haughtily upon sensing others coming through the tunnels to talk with him as Hook had. "Because we're about to have some more company."

"Rumplestiltskin…" Killian heard Emma call out to the Dark One from a distance as Killian immediately rushed from the room and hid himself behind another tunnel wall nearby and then carefully watched as the woman he loved and the Blue Fairy approached his enemy's cell to talk to him like he had done.

She glared at the villain while she demanded coldly, "I need to know if you've somehow sent word out to one of your former acquaintances to have him come and help you to escape from your cage."

Rumple smiled smugly as he replied, "And what makes you think I'm capable of doing such, Miss. Swan? You know as well as I that so long as I'm imprisoned within this cage, I'm powerless."

"It doesn't mean you're incapable of escaping with the right sort of tools," the Savior answered with frustration. "The last time you were in a cage like this one, you used squid ink to escape. Now, a very suspicious stranger has arrived in time with the most incredible, far-fetched stories I've ever heard and after we took some time questioning him, he suddenly became very interested in your whereabouts, then ran away from David before he could arrest him. Do you want to know what else was wrong about this stranger? He seemed to know an awful lot about us, mainly me and my family. The only way that's possible is if he was told all of it by someone like you. Because he certainly couldn't have learned everything from the storybook."

"I assure you, he isn't a friend of mine, nor is he a means to help me break free," he responded and unfortunately, she sensed the Dark One was speaking the truth thanks to her superpower. "But if you could call Her Majesty and have her bring me a warm meal from Granny's and a few books from my shop so that I can have something to help pass the time so long as I'm down here, I just may be able to help you catch him so that you can continue with your interrogation. You'd be able to find the truth out for yourself. It shouldn't be too hard for me to locate him, with the right incentive of course."

Emma scoffed and then firmly replied, "We can find him without your help. There are plenty of people out there looking for him as we speak. I just wanted to see into your eyes when I asked if he was one of your stooges. That… and to make sure that our enchantments over these bars are still securely in place."

Blue waved her hands over the dark being's prison to do just that, then she turned to Emma and said quietly, "The enchantments are still firmly in place. But if you feel we should reinforce them, we can."

"We need Regina here with us to do that," the blonde woman answered. "She's busy working with Robin to help find the pirate."

"If we find out that you are responsible for this stranger being here and he does help you escape…" she added curtly until she was cut off.

He interrupted, "He isn't loyal to me in any way. Not even if I were to offer him a deal he shouldn't be able to refuse. Good luck with the next villain who arises, Emma. Whoever they may be."

The fairy and Savior finally turned to walk away, but stopped again only a few feet further from the cage as Blue reached out to grab Emma's arm and then spoke up quietly, though just loud enough for Killian to be able to listen while Blue asked, "When you were talking with this stranger who calls himself… Captain Hook, did you sense any truth in his words? Is there any possibility he could be speaking the truth and that he wanted to know of Rumplestiltskin's whereabouts just so he can seek out answers to what he believes happened to him? I only ask because I know how much pain you're in, Emma. I know you long to find a place you can call home. If this stranger you all seem to believe is dangerous…"

"He is dangerous," Emma retorted angrily as she suddenly cut her friend off. "None of what he said is possible. He told me he loved me and that I loved him. That we were actually married. The closest I ever came to marrying anyone was with Neal, but Zelena destroyed that when she killed him. And I would have been home had my parents not lied to me all this time and pretended to be so self-righteous. But then I learned the truth that I had only become the Savior because of what they did to Maleficent and the girl who I thought was my friend until she betrayed me too. And now Henry's left to pursue his own story all alone because I couldn't be the mother he believed in any longer. No stranger, mad or not, will ever convince me that I'm wrong. Love isn't in the cards for me, Blue. It never has been because Neal wouldn't have died if it was. Besides, this Hook is nothing more than a pirate. He's a criminal who David said that by his own admission has claimed to have killed a number of people. How could I ever love someone like that?"

Once she finished speaking her mind, Emma continued walking to leave the mines while the Blue Fairy followed after her, then Killian stepped out from his hiding place to watch after the woman he loved as she walked away until she was no longer in his sights. Her words she spoke to Blue about him hurt him far more than he would have liked to admit, to himself or to anyone else even though he knew she had every right to feel as she did because he didn't exist as far as she was concerned.

 _"_ _Killian, I spent so much of my life on my own," he then heard Emma whisper to him as his mind drifted back to the eve of their wedding as the woman he loved with his whole heart spoke her vows to him. "And then, Henry found me and brought me to Storybrooke, and helped me find the rest of my family. But just because you learn that you come from true love doesn't mean that you believe that you'll ever find it. But thanks to you, now I have."_

It was then that Killian finally straightened and continued to walk through the tunnels himself to leave them with a newfound resolve to continue fighting for his love with the woman who captured his heart from the very first moment they met so long ago within the Enchanted Forest. Not for himself, but for Emma, having seen the despair in her eyes as she had spoken to him in the hospital and hearing the defeat in her voice after having heard her talking with the Blue Fairy just now.

Killian knew he had helped her to find home here in Storybrooke with her family and with him as well. He just couldn't understand that his disappearance from existence really had as much of an impact as he was seeing the more he interacted with everyone. Emma was the Savior and Henry had been the one to believe enough to find her and bring her home so she could save everyone from the Queen's dark curse. The boy was the one who changed the Evil Queen's heart and helped her to become a hero.

And both he and his mother made it possible for a pirate Captain with more than two hundred years of hate and self-loathing in his heart to become a hero and find true love he never thought was in the cards for him either. Now it was his turn to help her find the love they shared again and no witch or wizard would stop him. Little did he know just how wrong he really was.


	13. Chapter 13

Leather & Lace

Chapter Thirteen

Upon leaving the mines, being careful not to risk running into Emma, Blue, or anyone else who might be around as the dwarfs had been to look for him when he first entered, Killian cautiously walked through town using the buildings and shadows within the alleyways to keep himself hidden from sight as much as he could, then finally disappeared into the library where he hoped Belle would be after he had spoken to her at the diner. Luckily for him, she was already there. Killian found her standing within one of the isles while she was reading what appeared to be an old leather bound book about King Arthur titled, _Le Morte d'Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table_.

She didn't hear him enter, so he startled her when he suddenly appeared behind her and then whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Thank you for meeting me here, Belle."

She looked at him and nodded, then stared down at the book in her hands while she quietly replied, "Honestly, I'm not really sure why I feel so compelled to help you. I don't know you at all and after what you did to David back there at the diner…"

"I didn't want to strike him," Killian interrupted, and she could see the remorse over what he had done within his eyes as he spoke. "I don't want to go against anyone. I wish to protect you all from the real threat. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can say or do that will convince them I'm not the villain here. Honestly, I'm surprised you don't see me as such. Why is that?"

"I'm the only one willing to help you and yet you question my motives?" Belle curtly responded as she stared at him with disbelief. "That hardly seems fair."

The Captain nodded and then answered, "Aye, love. You're absolutely right. Forgive me for questioning you. Have you discovered anything that could help me yet?"

Belle let out a gentle laugh, then she replied, "I've only just started going through the books we have here on King Arthur and Camelot. Not surprisingly, there are quite a few because the Arthurian legends are popular within our world now. However, something tells me we're not really going to find what you're looking for within works of fiction."

"Works of fictions are what most people throughout this world would believe all of us to be," Killian responded to her smugly, then looked up at the books on the shelf just above his eye level and pulled down a book written by an author named J.M. Barrie, showing it to her with a lift of his eyebrow as if to make his point clear. "Most people see these as just stories, yet we're as real as they are."

" _Peter Pan_ … that book is in the wrong section," the young woman stated again and reached out to take it from him until he began to shuffle through its pages for a reason other than just out of curiosity, as his eyes became dark and saddened. "That's the story you're from, isn't it? Or at least the story you should be from?"

Without looking at her, he nodded and then upon coming to the chapter that introduced the story's villain, he stared down at a hand drawn picture of Black Beard as he answered, "This should be a picture of me. Or at least the Captain Hook the world once saw me as, except with a wax mustache and a perm… much like what Black Beard actually wears. All right, maybe I can see why I was replaced by him. It still doesn't make it fair. Though I despise the man I was, it is still my story and yet unless I can fix what's been done, no one will ever know it."

Belle nodded and then she spoke again saying, "But that isn't what's bothering you the most. Is it?"

"I don't understand how my life ceasing to exist can have so much of an impact on all those I care about, but everything's different," Killian replied sadly. "Emma is so lost and she no longer believes in herself. No longer believes she can be loved. And I know that I helped her to tear down the walls she built up to keep herself from being hurt by those she loved, but… Her parents helped too. I can't believe that Emma never would have let them in were it not for me. I am not so important. Not like she is, or the rest of the heroes here are. I've only become a hero because of Emma and not just because she's the Savior, but because Emma cared about me and saw the good in me when no one else did. She saved me because she broke down my own walls of pain and hate to bring the man I am now out."

"You really do love her," the beauty responded quietly, appearing to have been touched by the stranger's confession. "I mean, I know you did before, which perhaps is what was what first compelled me to want to help you, but…"

Before she could go on, he continued, "This isn't just about Emma. The rest of her family, our family, they're all changed as well. After her parents revealed to Emma and to me of what they had done to Maleficent and Lily, Emma had become distant because she felt betrayed by those who loved her most other than myself and Henry. However, she was finally able to forgive them, I suppose because I helped her to see how much she needed them and that they only did what they had done out of love, to protect her. But now things are such so that she never forgave them and they're all so miserable."

In trying to understand as she listened to him, Belle answered, "Because you supposedly never were there to offer your words of advice that eventually helped Emma to forgive her parents. It's like I said before at Granny's. We don't ever know just how much of an impact one has on the lives of those they love."

"I saw the sadness within Snow's eyes as she looked longingly at her daughter in the hospital," Killian despondently replied. "And the pain in her father's because he knew just how much he broke her spirit. They both blame themselves and they shouldn't. What they had done was wrong, yes. But they eventually righted their wrongs and Emma reunited Maleficent with her daughter. Didn't they?"

"Emma stopped being the Savior after learning her parents' secret," she responded worryingly as she looked over at him once again. "She remained on as sheriff along with her father, but they only work together when its necessary and they barely speak to one another as you already know. She is even living alone now in a room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast. As for Maleficent, as far as I know she's just another prisoner down among the rest ever since Emma killed Cruella to save Henry. Emma never helped to reunite her with her daughter because Maleficent attacked Mary Margaret and David to try to force Emma to do so. She kidnapped them and tortured David almost to the breaking point. Emma saved them in time and defeated Maleficent with help from Regina, but David almost died and it didn't do much to help their relationship any."

Killian finally handed Belle the book in his hands and began to look through other books based on Camelot, then asked again, "And what of Ursula? What came of her?"

Belle looked at Killian strangely as she questioned, "Who? I don't know of anyone named Ursula."

"Ah… That's probably because I was the one who stole her happy ending in the first place when I was still a villain," he said dismally as he struggled to put the pieces together.

"So, what happened to this woman in your reality?" she asked him curiously. "Was she a villain like Maleficent and Cruella?"

The pirate nodded and answered, "Aye. She was. Because of me. Perhaps her life actually turned out for the better then, just like… like Robin's and Regina's."

Belle looked at him again worryingly as she asked sternly, "What do you mean by that?"

"It seems that by me not coming into existence, it gave Emma no reason to go down into the Underworld to save me and therefore Hades never would have been able to leave to come here to Storybrooke," Killian replied coldly, his coldness being geared only at himself. "He wouldn't have been here to kill Robin and therefore they both still must have their happy endings. Which puts me in a very difficult situation. On one hand, the woman I love is miserable and she no longer believes in herself or in true love. She might never find true love for herself even if she could somehow find it in her heart to let me in. And she may never be able to forgive her parents. Not that I'm saying I'm the reason why Emma could have all that, because it was all thanks to her. She's the Savior who fought with her whole heart to bring back everyone's happy endings as she's done for me. But back to my point… On the other hand, if I do somehow succeed in making things right, then it would mean the loss of someone close to all of us and the misery of another we all care for very deeply and I wouldn't blame Regina if she never forgave me for destroying her happy ending again. How can I destroy one friend's happiness with the man she loves, just to bring back Emma's, her family's, yours, and… and my own? Provided I even can, of course."

"I certainly don't envy you for this predicament you're in," Belle responded quietly while she gently laid her hand over his shoulder to offer him a little comfort. "But if what you're saying is true… It's possible it isn't too late for you to help Emma and her parents. Maybe you can still help her become the Savior again and help restore her relationship with Mary Margaret and David without breaking this curse. That way, Regina and Robin can remain happy too."

Kilian looked over at the woman strangely upon sensing an uneasiness like before when he first awoke in the hospital when Emma had approached him, then asked, "And what of you and Gold? Don't you wish for your own happy ending with him to be restored to what it is meant to be?"

The beauty didn't appear to notice as Killian then saw as her blue eyes suddenly flashed bright green in color, while Belle answered quietly, "It's like I told you before, Killian. I'm tired of trying to make my relationship with Rumple work. I can't handle having my heart broken any longer. But I'm alright. Truly I am. Come on, let's just get to work. Surely this villainess you say cursed you will be in these books somewhere."

He nodded and turned back to the book in his hand, as she did to the one in hers, not giving her any indication he saw the strangeness in her eyes that made him realize Belle wasn't really the woman who had come to be a very dear friend to him despite him having wronged her a number of times in order to make his enemy suffer, but the very witch who had cursed him on the beach that morning in disguise. But he wasn't prepared to let her know he was on to her just yet. He needed to get Emma or some of the other heroes on his side first if he had any hope of beating her. So for now he simply remained put, unaware that Morgan Le Fay was using her dark magic to cloak any of the stories that were about her so Killian wouldn't find the answers he sought.


	14. Chapter 14

Leather & Lace

Chapter Fourteen

About an hour passed while Killian continued to search through all the books based on the Arthurian legends with the villainess impersonating Belle for any way to discover who she might be. Even though he was worried this witch would attack him at any moment because she knew he was seeking a way to discover her true identity and to defeat her, he kept himself calm and continued to pretend he wasn't on to her despite that inside his blood was boiling at having to curtail his anger. He knew he couldn't defeat her without help and that he would only get himself in worse trouble if he tried.

Thankfully, Morgan Le Fay kept up with her charade, seeming to remain unaware that Killian suspected anything. It surprised him for sure, but then it gave him a little hope that she might not be as powerful as he initially thought. Unfortunately, the longer they both kept up their pretenses while they studied the books, Killian found nothing on any kind of witch or sorceress that fit what little he knew of her and his gut feeling led him to believe that she was somehow concealing the information he sought.

"There's nothing here," he finally stated dejectedly, slamming the book he was keeping open by the brace over his left arm closed with his hand, then tossed it on top of the smallest pile on the floor in front of him while he let out a frustrated grown. "I'm not sure what I was expecting. I am grateful for your help, Belle. But this isn't getting me anywhere and I should probably get going before our friends think to look for me here, then have me thrown in jail. If you think of anything…"

"If I think of anything, I will find a way to get in touch with you," the Sorceress finished for him. "Do you have a cell phone? Or I'm guessing that you probably don't. And what about later tonight? Seeing as you can't rent a room from Granny's, or sleep aboard the ship you said you had that isn't here any longer, where do you plan on staying?"

He cautiously opened the library's front door to make sure the way was clear for him to leave, then looked back at the woman behind him as he answered, "I've slept many nights under the stars without a bed or a home over my head. I'll do so now somewhere where hopefully no one will think to look for me. We'll talk soon, love. Take care."

With that said, Killian slipped out and walked down the street as Morgana watched him until he disappeared around the corner, then she smiled smugly before finally leaving herself still in her disguise as the young beauty. Archie was out walking with Pongo as she passed the doctor down the street and he kept her detained for a few minutes while he talked with her about getting together later for dinner along with Marco, the woodcarver's son August, and the Blue Fairy. To avoid making any excuses, Morgana simply said yes, then quickly dismissed herself before continuing on down the street towards Gold's shop before ducking between it and the building beside it to enter inside through the back.

As she did so, she walked through the room and then stood over the bed where the real Belle was lying as if asleep, wearing a glowing black crystal necklace around her neck that matched another crystal broken from the same rock which Morgan Le Fay wore around her own neck.

Morgana pulled off her own necklace and she transformed back into herself, then she spoke coldly to the younger woman even though Belle wasn't able to hear her saying, "I am sorry you had to be the one I used to make sure the pirate won't succeed. He appears to trust your advice above most everyone else's. I saw as much on the beach this morning and so unfortunately, you get to be the casualty that will convince them he is the only threat to this town. Soon the other heroes will find your body and they'll see him as a madman and not the fictitious villain they believe he's made up inside his head. Hook will eventually become locked away among the rest of the villains down in the mad house by those he believed to be his friends like a part of him fears, or even killed himself. Personally, I much prefer the latter. I'm afraid I have to go now. I have a few things to do while still pretending to be you. Like making sure he won't be able to prove he isn't responsible."

When she finished speaking her piece, the Sorceress returned the crystal around her neck again and then left the pawnshop once more. Little did Morgana know that she hadn't been alone when she had spoken to the beauty, as Killian had hidden upon rounding the corner in order to keep himself out of sight after leaving the library, then he followed after the villainess in hope of trying to learn something more about her.

Once she entered Gold's shop, Killian made sure no one else was around on the streets and broke in through the front door, being careful not to ring the bells above the door that usually alerted the shopkeeper's attention when people entered, that he hoped wouldn't alert the witch to his entry now as he carefully opened it just enough to slip in so as to not give himself away to be caught. Thankfully the bells didn't chime and he was able to enter in silence, then hid again where he could watch Morgana just enough through the curtain, yet where he wouldn't be caught.

After the villain left, Killian rushed to Belle's side and gently stroked her cheek to try to awaken her. Unfortunately, it was no use. He looked for the cause of her state and discovered the identical crystal he had seen Morgana pull from around her own neck, then started to reach down to remove it until it dawned on him that trying to remove it himself might have unforeseen consequences for the woman who had become such a close friend to him when she should have hated him for the terrible things he ever did to her while still a villain in order to make his oldest enemy suffer, as the Dark One had done to him.

So instead, he carefully leaned down to lift Belle into his arms and carried her out, then without a second thought, he decided to bring her to Regina's office where he hoped Emma, the Queen, and the rest of the heroes were gathered so they could help her. However, Killian didn't get further than past a few buildings down the street when he was suddenly stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing a voice belonging to Robin from behind him as the archer ordered him to freeze and turn around. Killian obeyed knowing his friend well enough to trust there was an arrow tethered in his bow and aimed straight at his back.

"Robin… I'm sure you must think I'm the one who has hurt Belle," Hook said firmly with sadness in his eyes as he slowly turned around to face his friend who had been killed because of unforeseen consequences from the others coming down into the Underworld to try to save him, and saw John standing beside him with his crossbow in hand as well. "But I promise you, I didn't. I found her unconscious. She's somehow been manipulated by the crystal around her neck, so that the villain who is responsible can make herself appear as Belle."

"This villain you can't describe because you can't remember the attack?" Robin questioned skeptically. "Slowly and gently lay Belle down on the ground, then raise your hands… hand and arms."

Killian slowly did as the archer asked of him while he replied, "I assure you, I was bringing her to Emma and Regina in hope that they'll be able to help her. Then I planned to turn myself in. A gesture of goodwill to ty to show you all I mean no harm."

The leader of the band of merry men lowered his bow, then walked over to apprehend the pirate while he motioned for John to carry Belle for him and responded, "If that's true, then you will have no problem with me bringing you to them instead. I would like to believe you, but things aren't looking so good for you. You shouldn't have run to begin with."

"I only ran because I needed to try to find proof of my innocence before everyone in this town could get the chance to judge me as the monster the rest of you already see me as," Hook answered curtly, but allowed Robin to cuff his wrist, then attach the other end to his own since he couldn't place the second cuff over the brace Killian still wore. "Anything else I've to say, I'll wait to say in front of the others as well. I would hate to have to try to explain what's going on with me twice. Or more."

"Fair enough," the archer replied as he pushed Killian forward to start walking, then quickly looked back at John standing a few feet behind him with Belle now safely in his arms to make sure his friend was following.

A few minutes later, Robin brought Killian to Regina's office, having texted Regina to gather the others together so they could meet them where Killian suspected they might already be. When they walked into the room, the Mayor was already there, along with David and Mary Margaret. Emma walked in behind Killian and the woodsmen, stepping around them as she walked over to join Regina in front of her desk while completely ignoring Killian's gaze. Blue was the last one to join the gathering as David rushed over to John in order to take Belle from his arms and then laid her gently down on the couch so Regina could try to figure out what was wrong with her.

She quickly joined David as she knelt beside him on the floor in front of the unconscious woman, then turned to Robin and Hook and saw the handcuffs locked to one of each of their wrists as she asked, "What the hell happened? Did you do this to her, pirate?"

Killian closed his eyes as he let out a quiet sigh in frustration, then looked between all those in the room and despondently responded, "No. I didn't hurt her. I never would, but let's forget about me for the moment… you won't believe anything I have to say anyways. So, let's just get back to Belle. That strange crystal around her neck, it's somehow keeping the real villain's power over her and possibly keeping her unconscious. I didn't remove it just in case it might cause more harm to her than good. I was on my way here to get her to you so you could help her. That's all."

"You're still sticking by your story about not being the threat around here?" Emma asked him curtly while Regina reached out to carefully pick up the crystal Killian spoke about without pulling it from around Belle's neck so she could examine it.

"You know, I hate to say it, but I'm starting to think Hook might be right about there being another villain in town," Regina answered with surprise in her voice as she waved her hand over the stone to try to get a reading on it, while Blue then took David's place beside the Queen to help her. "I've seen crystals like this before, though they're rare. I've never had the chance to study them before. All I know for sure right now, is that the pirate couldn't have tapped into its power. Only someone with dark magic can."

Blue examined it as well and then replied, "Regina's right. We are dealing with someone else too and with another piece of this crystal, she could be disguised as anyone of us."

Emma scoffed, but Mary Margaret spoke up before she could speak out saying, "So… if you remove the crystal from Belle and shut it down, will that mean the imposter will reappear in his or her own likeness? Will Belle be alright?"

"She'll be fine once we turn off this power source," Regina responded as she turned her head to look over at her stepdaughter, then turned to Emma. "I just need to figure out how. It shouldn't be too long. Then we can speak with Belle about what she might remember about her attack."

"Great… so does this mean I'm free to go, or that you'll at least release me?" Killian questioned sternly as he raised his arm to bring everyone's attention back to the handcuffs.

David glared at the stranger as he answered coldly, "No. You're going to be locked up in our jail for awhile."

Hook retorted, "Regina just confirmed I'm no longer a threat, so why must I continue to suffer your contempt and be forced to remain being treated like a criminal?"

"I said that we now know there's another danger here somewhere," the Queen snidely replied as she turned her head to look up at the pirate Captain, while Robin uncuffed the side locked onto his wrist so he could hand the cuffs off to David. "That doesn't mean you're not still a threat. You could either be working for this other villain, or even for yourself with your own agenda. Maybe David's right about you coming here to free Rumplestiltskin."

"I'm on your side!" Killian cried angrily as he looked between his friends and the woman he loved, then immediately calmed himself down. "What do I have to do to prove myself to you?"

Emma immediately bit back as she stated, "Perhaps you shouldn't have struck one of this town's sheriffs so you could escape. Doing so only made you look guiltier than we already suspected. If you want to prove yourself, you'll begin by cooperating with us and accept whatever punishment we serve you with. Do that, and maybe later we can talk. David will escort you to the station and we'll deal with this other villain ourselves. Do we have and understanding now, Hook?"

Killian looked at his wife again sadly and then responded, "Aye, love. As you wish."

He continued to stare at her until David pulled him around to guide Killian out of the room while the others remained behind with Belle as Regina and Blue carefully used their magic to make sure the crystal was no longer deemed a threat to their friend, then pulled it from around her neck in hope of awaking her. Thankfully, their care worked as Belle slowly began to come to.


	15. Chapter 15

Leather & Lace

Chapter Fifteen

When Belle slowly came around and opened her eyes, she turned her head as she struggled to see the faces of those staring down at her with concern, then the Blue Fairy quietly asked, "How are you feeling, Belle? Just try to relax. You're safe. You're among friends."

The younger woman shook her head to try to remember what might have happened to her through the fog clouding her mind as she responded, "Yes. I'm alright. I remember… standing on the beach, I think. I want to say that I was talking to someone. She kidnapped me. Put me in some kind of sleep. A woman with… raven black hair and bright green eyes."

Mary Margaret looked between Regina, Blue, and her daughter while she stated, "That's the same description of this villainess Hook gave us. It looks like she isn't a figment of his imagination after all."

"Hook… Is that the man who is dark and handsome, wearing black leather?" Belle questioned strangely as she continued to think back.

"You mean, you do remember him?" Emma asked. "You actually know him?"

Belle shook her head again and answered, "No. I mean I feel like he's more of a stranger in my dreams, but yet I somehow know he was real. I was, or the witch, was helping him in the library look for someone's story. I just can't remember whose. But she wasn't really helping him, only preventing him from learning the truth. I somehow could see and hear a little of what was going on between them…"

Blue cut in as she continued, "That's because this crystal didn't just allow this witch to disguise herself as you. It also allows whoever wields both pieces to tap into your thoughts and memories, so they can become you essentially. It is one thing to make yourself look like someone, but quite another to be that someone so much so that they can fool everyone around them. But Hook is smart. He somehow must have sensed something wasn't right about the imposter. Or maybe this crystal isn't as powerful as this witch hoped it to be. I've known they exist, but like Regina I've never come into contact with one until now."

"How did you find me?" the beauty then asked her friends quietly. "If all of you believed this witch was me for however long she was holding me for…"

"Hook brought you to us," Robin replied before anyone else could once Belle cut herself off. "We didn't give him much of a chance to explain himself. We were all too quick to see him as the threat when it appears he has been telling us the truth all along."

Emma uncrossed her arms and let them fall at her sides, but clenched her fists together out of frustration while she responded, "He may have been telling the truth about this witch, but it doesn't mean he isn't still a threat. Clearly she has something against this pirate and it's possible they both are here trying to kill each other, at any cost."

Mary Margaret turned to her daughter as she answered sadly, "Emma… you can't keep believing only the worst in everyone. Doing so has already caused you so much pain. And if you keep on doing so, one day it will destroy you until you have a hole so deep in your heart, you will never again find love and lose all hope."

"Do you think I don't know that?" she asked coldly, looking directly at her mother as she continued talking as if to remind Mary Margaret that she still hadn't forgiven her or her father for the evil they had done so long ago. "Some people just don't make it easy to trust in them. But I told Hook I would at least give him a chance to explain himself. I'll go talk to him."

The Savior was about to leave until suddenly, a heavy wind swept through the room just as a portal opened up in the ceiling above them. Robin rushed over to stand with Regina while Blue helped Belle to sit up from the couch. The archer pulled his bow over his head as he prepared to fight should whoever was about to come through be another threat to them and Emma pulled her service weapon from its holster to do the same. However, it surprised everyone when an old friend dropped through the portal, landing heavily on his feet, then stood tall to reveal himself as the portal closed again.

"Jefferson…" Mary Margaret said happily upon seeing the hatter again after these last few years since he left with his daughter. "What a wonderful surprise to see you again."

He smiled at the Princess he had once kidnapped along with Emma the first time they met during the final weeks of the Queen's dark curse, then he replied, "It's good to see you all again too. Especially now that I see you're doing alright."

Robin lowered his bow upon seeing this stranger to him wasn't a threat to the others and looked at him in confusion while he asked, "What do you mean by that? Did you somehow know we were in danger?"

"I'm afraid so," Jefferson responded worryingly as he looked between all those standing around him. "And unfortunately, she's here because of me. I didn't want to help her, but…"

"You brought this witch here?" the Queen asked curtly before the portal jumper could finish explaining himself.

He nodded and then with remorse he continued, "She threatened my daughter. Grace is safe, but this witch found me and held me as her prisoner for nearly two days. I refused to cooperate with her, pretending to be nothing more than a hat maker. But she knew what I really am and knew my power. She learned about Paige and threatened to find and kill her if I didn't open her a portal to Storybrooke. She's too powerful. I couldn't risk my daughter's life again."

Mary Margaret nodded while she spoke again saying, "Of course we understand. Can you tell us anything that might help us to defeat her?"

"She calls herself Morgan Le Fay and she's a very powerful sorceress who was trained in her magic by another Sorcerer named Merlin," the Mad Hatter answered as he took a seat on the couch. "I sensed she wanted to come here because she's after someone, but she never told me her motives, so I don't know for sure. It was only after she vanished from Camelot to come that I went to speak with the kingdom's King and Queen to find out more about this witch. That's how I know who she is, but they didn't know her motives either. Not really. Other than that she might be here to kill whoever killed this Merlin."

"Merlin is the name of the Sorcerer the pirate admitted to Belle he had killed," David replied when he returned and walked over to join his wife.

Jefferson looked at the Prince as he responded, "Does this pirate have magic? Because it would take someone awfully powerful to kill a sorcerer as powerful as the King claimed him to be. Some average pirate would never be able to kill this Merlin and if he admitted to doing so, he either lied or he's somehow mistaken. Most people there including the Queen herself believe that some other powerful being murdered Merlin. Yet they've never found him, if he even exists. No one was a witness, so no one knows for sure. Although, a knight believed to be dead himself on the other hand pulled me aside to speak with me in secret, and he believes it was King Arthur who killed Merlin using an enchanted sword they call Excalibur. He thinks Arthur did it in secret because couldn't risk making himself appear as a murderer. No one would continue to see him as their King if they knew. But none of this really matters right now. I came here to make up for what I've done in helping this witch come here. So long as she's free, you're all in danger."

Mary Margaret watched Emma leave, then turned back to their friend as she stated, "We feared as much. She's already shown she's dangerous by kidnapping Belle. How do we defeat a Sorceress this powerful?"

"We can set a trap for her," David answered confidently. "We imprisoned Rumplestiltskin, didn't we?"

"Leave the trap to me," Regina replied smugly while she looked over at the man she loved. "Robin and I will handle it. The rest of you should work on finding her. Let's just hope she hasn't become anyone else, provided she has more than one crystal."


	16. Chapter 16

Leather & Lace

Chapter Sixteen

Inside the sheriff's station…

As David was leaving the station to rejoin the others, August walked in after he had received a message from his friend who asked if he'd be willing to watch over their prisoner while he went out to continue conducting business. The sheriff thanked August and patted him on his shoulder, then left. The town's mechanic and woodcarver turned his head to look towards Hook as Killian remained locked within one of the cells, then walked closer until he took a seat on the edge of Emma's desk so that he could talk to the prisoner to help pass the time.

"So, I heard you struck our town's sheriff so you could escape from being arrested and that you claimed to Emma you were her husband," August said coldly out of contempt for the man before him, no matter who Hook might be. "I've got to say, that's pretty ballsy. I've known Emma her whole life and while I may have failed her for a good part of it, we both are still lucky to be able to call ourselves the best of friends. I don't take too kindly to someone coming here and hurting her for whatever agenda you may have for doing so."

"I wish you could believe that hurting Emma was never my intent," Killian despondently replied without turning his head to look at his friend, then sat down on the cot and leaned down as he put his face in his hand out of frustration. "But you won't understand anything I have to tell you because like everyone else, you don't remember me."

August looked at him strangely as he asked, "Aren't you even going to try to defend yourself?"

Hook finally turned his head to look up at him as he questioned, "Would you be willing to listen and trust in anything I say? I highly doubt it. So why even bother anymore?"

"Wow… I'm a little surprised," the younger man answered. "Most people argue their innocence whether they are or they aren't until their voices are raw."

"It would seem that my voice is raw then," the prisoner responded curtly. "But Emma will return later and I will continue to try to prove I'm not the threat to her then. Like I told her many times, I will never stop fighting for us."

August was about to say something more until he was interrupted when Leroy walked in and entered David's office, then the woodcarver stood up to join his friend as he asked, "Hey Leroy. Did David ask you to join me to help watch over the pirate? I really don't think he's going anywhere."

While he continued to look in the desk drawers for whatever he had come in for, the dwarf gruffly replied, "Actually, I came for something else. And I need to talk to the pirate, but I can't exactly do that so long as you're here… or at least conscious."

"No!" Killian immediately shouted as he rushed to the bars when Grumpy suddenly pulled out his hook from the bottom drawer where David had placed it inside earlier for safekeeping and used it to strike August over the side of his head in order to knock him unconscious. "What the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Try to relax," the smaller man answered snidely as he turned to Killian and began to walk towards the cells so they could talk more face to face. "Neither the puppet or this dwarf are in any real danger. The young man should be fine eventually and so will your other friend. I simply needed his disguise to make my way over here until I'm good and ready to face off against these heroes myself."

Killian's eyes darkened upon realizing it wasn't Leroy standing before him, then while glaring at her he responded, "Morgana. What have you done to Leroy?"

With his friend's face, the Sorceress smiled at him and pulled the black crystal that was identical to the one Belle had been wearing from around her neck so she could transform back into herself, then she replied, "I told you, he's fine. Or he will be. I promise you, I don't plan to be that dwarf for any longer than I have to be. But he isn't why I'm here. I wanted to talk with you. I have to say, I'm quite surprised by how clever you were to somehow see through me while I was pretending to be that pretty young woman you were speaking to on the beach earlier this morning. What exactly was it that gave me away?"

"You were different than Belle is," Killian answered quietly as the witch took August's place upon the top of the desk. "You acted more unsympathetic towards Gold and were quicker to dismiss him. Belle loves him far too much to do so. Even when she believed he was gone from her life, she still loved him and wished him well. But aside from that, it was your eyes. At one point they flashed green while we were talking in the library. Belle's eyes are deep blue like the ocean on a stormy day. Clearly you hadn't noticed your dwindling power had given you away."

"I'm impressed," she responded scornfully. "You're more resilient than I thought. I didn't expect you to spy on me, then to rescue the damsel. I was surprised to learn you really aren't the Dark One as I believed. And once I did, I thought of simply killing you, but this is much better."

The pirate Captain continued to look at her while he sat down again on the cot and then he asked, "So… if I have been erased from existence, how is it I'm still here? And how is it I still have a hook for a hand? Rumplestiltskin cut off my left hand two centuries ago and yet he didn't remember who I am either."

Morgan Le Fay laughed, then she replied smugly, "Those are both fair questions. You're still here, because this is the punishment I've chosen for you. For you to live within a world where you don't exist because you've never been born. Forgotten by everyone you love and care about. Because I made it so. Even the lives of those still back in my kingdom have changed because you weren't ever there to kill Merlin. I used my magic to open a window into Camelot so I could see for myself what has come of him now. Arthur eventually managed to kill Merlin instead and my little brother is still King. Apparently, no one knows the truth that their King is a murderer."

"As for your hook…" she continued after taking a moment to pause, then turned her eyes downward to look at the piece of metal she was still holding in her hands. "I also kept it intact when I cursed you with that kiss we shared at the beach, because it was meant to help convince everyone you're a threat. This hook used to symbolize the villain within you. While no one's ever heard of Captain Hook before, the name and this piece instilled fear in all those you met. Or at least that's what this hook was meant to do now. It kind of worked…"

"…Until it became obsolete," the Sorceress added as she tossed the hook towards August's body so that it landed near him on the floor. "It doesn't really matter anymore. You have done more than enough to convince everyone you're crazy and dangerous without it."

Killian shook his head sadly, then he answered, "They will come around. Emma will eventually trust in herself to know something isn't right and they will all see that you are the real threat. They already know you're here and that you had kidnapped Belle so you could disguise yourself as her. She's being seen to as we speak. Soon you won't be able to hide behind the disguises of our friends any longer. You will have to face them as yourself just as you're here with me now. I may not know who or what you really are right now, but I do know what you truly look like. It's only a matter of time before they will too."

Morgana sneered at him as she spoke again saying, "I really should have killed you once I learned you could be killed. Or I could have left you in a permanent state of unconsciousness like you were when the love of your life and her father found you on the beach this morning after the curse was set. But then you never would have suffered. And believe me, I know how much all of this is killing you inside, Killian. I've seen into your mind and I've felt your pain. If you do somehow manage to convince these heroes of the truth and they try to come after me, then you will die. I promise you that. Just not before I kill your precious Savior too. So long as my curse remains in place, she's powerless because she doesn't believe in herself any longer. Poor, poor Emma Swan."

Without another word, the witch pulled the black stone back over her head to become Grumpy once again and waved her hand as the cell door of Killian's prison opened, then suddenly vanished within a black cloud of smoke with a flick of her wrist. Killian then cried out to anyone for help as he rushed over to August still out cold on the floor to make sure he was alright like the Sorceress had claimed. It wasn't a minute later when Emma suddenly came running into the station upon hearing him calling out.

"What have you done?" she asked angrily as she immediately pulled her service weapon and aimed it at Killian to indicate for him to back away upon seeing his hook lying on the ground beside her closest friend, then knelt down beside August to check on him herself before finally letting out a sigh of relief when seeing he was only unconscious because of a blow to his head.

"You said you weren't a threat," she then said again while she finally rose back to her feet with her gun still raised and faced the pirate still standing before her as he slowly backed away towards the cells again like she wanted. "I thought we had an understanding and yet I've already found you out to be nothing more than a really good liar."

With his hand and arms raised, Killian looked at the woman he loved sadly while he pleaded, "Please, Emma… I promise you, I wasn't the one who hurt him. It was the witch. She was here moments before you came in. She had disguised herself as Leroy so she could walk through town and enter here without arousing suspicion and before I knew… she pulled my hook from the desk drawer and struck August down with it. She wanted to talk. And apparently to frame me for assault. I would never hurt him. He's my friend too, nearly as much as he is yours."

The Savior scoffed at his story, then glared at him while she responded, "And you think I'm really going to buy that?"

"If I did hurt him so I could escape from here, why would I have taken the time to kneel down over him to make sure he was alright?" he asked curtly. "Why would I have called out for help and why… why would I have left my hook on the floor beside him?"

"Wait," the pirate suddenly stated again upon suddenly remembering the surveillance cameras within the room and turned his head to look up at them on the wall near the station's doorway. "If you won't believe me, then see for yourself that I'm telling the truth. Look at the footage from the cameras. It will prove I didn't hurt August. The Sorceress wouldn't have known about them."

Emma looked up at the cameras as well and started to walk towards the small television screen to play the tapes, but quickly looked over at Killian again as she instructed, "Just stay right there where you are. I won't hesitate to shoot you if you try to attack me or run."

Killian replied simply, "I'm not going anywhere."

Once the video began to play, Emma watched as August entered the station and sat down on her desk to talk with the stranger. Unfortunately, the surveillance equipment was still so far outdated that what had been said between them couldn't be heard. But she could see their conversation was a civil one and that Hook didn't appear to be looking to escape as he also took a seat on the cell's cot while they continued to speak.

It wasn't much longer before Leroy walked in just like Killian had told her he had, as he walked into her father's office, searched his desk and pulled out the pirate's hook, then suddenly struck August over the side of his head. Emma was surprised to discover that Hook had spoken the truth. Her superpower has been telling her he was all along, but after everything that's shown he was a man who couldn't be trusted, after everything he said to her in the hospital about their lives together and about them falling in love… being married, it all sounded far too crazy for her and Emma couldn't believe even in the one power she always trusted before she had become the Savior. Since she's met him, her superpower has only let her down.

"All right… so you really didn't attack August to try to escape," she uttered sternly after she finished watching the rest of the encounter as the witch revealed herself to Hook upon removing another of the crystals, then finally turned back to the man still standing there in silence while he waited for Emma to talk to him again. "But it still doesn't explain everything else about you. At least I now know what this witch, or sorceress… or whatever she is, looks like and I can show this video to the others so they'll know too."

"It's like I've told you," Killian whispered while he kept his eyes trained on her. "We aren't strangers. I've known you a long time now. Well over six years. That might not seem so long to you, but believe me, for a man who has lived for as long as I have, it is. We have been through a lot together and every day, I've been in awe by the strength and love which you possess… which is one of the many reasons why it was so easy for me to fall so deeply in love with you. With every part of you, Savior or not. It took a lot more time for you, but eventually you found you had fallen in love with me too. I don't understand why. I'm hardly a man deserving of you, but nevertheless…"

Emma finally cut him off as she spoke again out of frustration saying, "Just stop it, all right? I don't know what you think you know about me. But I'm not the Savior any longer. I haven't been for a long time. I'm just an underpaid, small town sheriff, who stayed here in Storybrooke in order to remain close to my son. Were it not for him, I would have been back in Boston or maybe even New York years ago. However, things haven't really been all that great between me and Henry for awhile either, and especially not between me, David and Mary Margaret, or Regina. They've all tried so long to convince me that I needed to shape up and fight to become Savior again. But well... I guess that once you un-Savior a Savior, you can't exactly go back even if you want to. And now, Henry left a week ago to discover his own story and seek out new adventures, so by the end of the month, I'll finally be leaving Storybrooke too to try to find where I belong."

 _Once Emma finally stopped trying to explain herself to a stranger she still believed was mad, Killian's thoughts drifted back to a quiet moment between them just like this one, before they had become pulled into Zelena's time portal, as he saw himself approach Emma sitting on a bench overlooking the pond within the woods and then call out, "You're making a mistake."_

 _"I don't want to talk to you about this," she answered stubbornly._

 _"Don't listen to me," he responded, ignoring her wishes in hope of trying to get her to open up to him about what was really troubling her. "Listen to your son."_

 _Killian then pulled the storybook from his satchel and handed it down to Emma while he continued, "He thought this might remind you of what you're leaving behind… your family."_

 _The Savior looked up at him sternly as she retorted, "Henry is my family, and I am taking him where he is safe."_

 _"No, Swan," he replied. "The safety-first nonsense is just that. You defeated the bloody Wicked Witch. You defeated Pan. You broke the curse. And you keep running. What are you looking for?"_

 _"Home," she stated simply._

 _Hook looked at her with confusion while he questioned, "And that's in New York? That wasn't real."_

 _Again, Emma retorted, "The last year was."_

 _"They were false memories," Killian answered her more firmly. "It was based on magical nonsense."_

 _"Now we have our memories back," she responded out of defiance as he sensed she was wishing he would just go away. "Now we can make it real."_

 _He refused to quit as he continued, "Why can't you do that here with your entire family?"_

 _Emma then grabbed the storybook from him and opened it up as she began to shuffle through its pages while she replied brusquely, "Because of this. I don't see my family here. I see… fairy tales. I see stories of princes and princesses. It… It's not me. I was never a part of any of this."_

 _"Then what are you a part of, Swan?" Hook asked her in frustration when he finally sat down on the bench beside her._

 _"Besides being with Henry, I don't think I've ever been a part of anything," she answered honestly._

 _Killian looked into her eyes as he said steadfastly, "You could be."_

 _The Savior closed the book again and then turned more towards her friend as she responded, "Look, when I was a kid, I ran away. It's just what I did. But the first time I did it, I had the same exact thought. I wondered, 'What if I'm making a mistake? What if I miss this place?"_

 _"Did you?" he asked curiously._

 _"Not the first time," Emma replied sadly as she looked down. "Not any time."_

 _He didn't understand her and so he questioned, "So you just keep running."_

 _She looked into his eyes again and then answered despondently, "I learned something a long time ago, Hook. Home is the place when you leave, you just miss it. So, yeah, I'm gonna keep running until I feel that."_

 _"So you're just gonna leave your parents, then," Killian responded, feeling a deep pang of regret and hopelessness after listening to her words. "Don't you even care about them… or anyone in this town?"_

 _"Of course I care," she replied to him sadly. "I just have to do what's right for me and Henry…"_

Killian's mind returned to the present when two paramedics, whom Emma had sent for while they had been watching the surveillance video entered the station so they could take care of August, then when she turned back to him as they began to do their job, Killian nervously asked, "What happened to Neal? You told me that he died at Zelena's hands before she too was killed. But how did it happen? I know that his death is what brought back your self-doubt and loneliness here as far as you know. But it helps to talk about it, instead of keeping it all bottled up inside. Please tell me."

Tears came to her eyes and she quickly reached up with her hand to wipe them away while taking several steps away from him and from the paramedics, then without looking at him again, she answered, "I thought he had been killed when he was shot, then fell into a portal that was opened up by one of the strangers who came here to destroy magic… But he survived because he had been treated by Mulan and Aurora, as he fell into the Enchanted Forest like Mary Margaret and I did. Eventually he found his way back to us, to me and Henry. However, it wasn't too long after that, that Zelena flew into town and unleashed her own dark curse like Regina had. Henry and I lost our memories and wound up in New York, while everyone else was swept back to the Enchanted Forest with their memories still intact. A year later, Neal showed up on my doorstep and helped me to remember who I was after telling me everyone else was in danger. But after we came back to Storybrooke, the Wicked Witch killed Neal for restoring my memories and bringing me back. Gold eventually killed her out of retaliation once he was freed from her servitude. She had gotten her hands on his dagger somehow when the curse came over us all."

"I'm so sorry, Emma," he finally responded sadly, yet with sincerity when she finished telling him her story. "I wish there was something I could say that would… make you believe that isn't truly how this story went, that Neal's death and most of the events you just spoke of took place a little differently because I was there as well, but… Believe me, I understand how you feel."

"Right," she replied more angrily, though because she was angry with herself for opening up to a man she barely knew and still saw as a madman. "Because you're Captain Hook and lived two centuries worth of lonely nights on the high seas? Because you say you and I are in love and have this life I know nothing about because I was cursed?"

Killian shook his head as he answered, "No… because I was cursed. Completely erased from existence because a powerful Sorceress wanted revenge on me for killing a man she wished she could have had the pleasure in killing herself. I know how crazy this sounds. I'm not even sure I would believe it if it were happening to anyone else. But I assure you, I'm telling you the truth. And the woman I know and love, knows me better than anyone else. She's still in you somewhere, Emma. I know it. You may not remember me, let alone trust a word I'm saying, but I do care about you and whatever madness is going on here because of that witch who's done this to me, I need you to know that I love you with my whole heart. I practically have from the moment we first met. At least when you weren't yelling at me, or accusing me of being nothing more than just a pirate. We shared an adventure together climbing a beanstalk where our love story began. You kissed me when were in Neverland together and I knew I would never want to leave you ever since. Years ago, you rid me of the villain I'd been for centuries, as I helped rid you of your armor you've built up so you could keep yourself from being hurt by those you cared about. You saved me from the Underworld. Because whether you believe it or not, you are the Savior. You're my Savior. And I won't ever stop fighting for us. Please, Swan… take a leap of faith and help me to find this Sorceress so we can defeat her together. Let me help to rid you of the burdens you bare now and you can have the life you think you've lost, even if in the end of all of this… it isn't with me."

Emma looked deep into his eyes while he spoke, then looked for any signs of deception and when she found none, she smiled as she responded, "Just like _Leather and Lace_ , huh?"

"I'm not sure of what you mean," Hook replied in confusion, not understanding the reference she was referring to.

"You know… the song, _Leather and Lace_ by Stevie Nicks and Don Henley…" she continued. "Two lovers meeting for the first time, at least in my case we are if what you've been trying to convince me of is true, and learning to trust in one another… Never mind. My point is, I know that there is another threat out there who captured Belle so she could pose as Belle, then Grumpy too. She also hurt August. I don't know if what you've said is true, Hook. I find it very difficult to believe because of everything I've been through. I've lived my whole life alone while in and out of foster care until I finally found my family at last, only to one day learn that my parents betrayed me and made me a Savior when I don't deserve to be. Losing Neal, losing Henry… But if this life we're living now is a lie, then I want this witch brought down the same as you. So I'm willing to give you a little leeway and I'm going to let you go, so long as you help us to find this Sorceress and to defeat her."

He smiled at her and answered honestly, "That's all I've wanted since this whole mess has begun, Swan. You have my word. I am no threat to you, or to anyone else here. I promise."

Killian then looked down at his hook still lying on the floor even after the paramedics had taken August away to the hospital, then he raised his arm covered by the brace that hid his infirmity as he asked, "I don't suppose I could have my hook back though, could I? It's all I really have unless you happen to have a wooden hand around here somewhere like the one I sometimes wear while outside of Storybrooke so as to not cause a stir by those non-believers of magic."

Emma walked over to the hook, then bent down to pick the piece of metal up from where Morgan Le Fay had dropped it before she disappeared and Emma finally handed it over to Killian. She watched him as he clicked the hook into his brace and latched it firmly so that it locked. He didn't say another word as he just smiled at her and then simply bowed his head by way of thanking her.

"I do want to trust you, Hook," she whispered worryingly when she looked straight into his eyes once more. "I want to trust you won't try to hurt me or anyone else. I'm just not sure if I can. Please show me that I'm doing the right thing."

"I will never hurt you, love," Killian responded with sincerity as he tenderly used his hook to wipe away a strand of hair that had fallen over her face from when she had bent down and then looked deeply within her own eyes as well. "Whether or not you know it now, or ever believe in me again, I will always love you."


	17. Chapter 17

Leather & Lace

Chapter Seventeen

Meanwhile…

Once the heroes had their plan in place, Jefferson stood from the couch to follow David and Mary Margaret out so they could begin their search for the Sorceress once again threatening their lives, but not before he reached his hands out to help Regina and the Blue Fairy up from the floor, then did the same for Belle, who was still resting on the couch until she sat up to move along with everyone else. Robin moved to stand beside Regina as they decided to remain behind in the Mayor's office to try to come up with a way to imprison Morgan Le Fay, while the others planned to go with the Charmings.

However, Belle thought of something as she spoke up saying, "You know, Rumple ought to have something in his shop that might help us trap this witch. If he does, it will be well hid since he wouldn't have wanted any of us to find it earlier so we could use it to trap him. But then thankfully that wasn't necessary, since we trapped him anyways. Or Emma did, with Regina's and Blue's help. I just wish… Sorry, I'm rambling again."

Mary Margaret reached out to pat the beauty's shoulder to comfort her as she remorsefully answered, "It's all right, Belle. We know that losing Gold to the darkness has been really hard on you. And we know it wasn't easy for you to forgive Emma for not being there for him when the good man in him was dying. The rest of us should have made more of an effort to find a way to free him from the darkness."

"Emma was really angry then," Belle responded sadly. "She lost her confidence in herself and then her ability to use her magic because she stopped being the Savior for too long. I understood… eventually. But what I was trying to say before we got off subject is, maybe we can find a book to show us how to create a spell powerful enough to imprison Morgana, or an artifact… It's too bad Elsa isn't still here. She might have been able to freeze her."

"That's actually not a bad idea, but you may have just given me another one," Regina replied and took a moment to think, then looked around the room between everyone waiting for her to continue. "Belle and Jefferson, why don't you come with Robin and me. I'll explain once we get to the pawnshop."

David turned to his wife, then to Blue and John while he answered, "It looks like it's just us. We'll get the dwarfs to join us like they had in our search for Hook now that he's taken care of."

Blue nodded, then she responded, "I will also enlist the rest of the fairies to help us look for this Sorceress as well. They'll be happy to have something to do."

A short time later, the former Evil Queen, Robin Hood, Belle, and the Mad Hatter all walked inside Gold's shop. The first thing Belle did was turn on all the lights, while the others worked to pull away all the sheets that covered the counters and valuables to keep them from collecting dust as much as the linens protected them.

"So… you thought of something when Belle mentioned Elsa?" Robin questioned Regina when he stood across from her as she moved around one of the counters to begin searching the stacks of books for one in particular.

"Yes I did," she replied, then glanced up for a moment to smile at the archer. "I thought about the portal she, her sister, and that mountain man passed through at the Sorcerer's mansion in order to return home."

Belle looked at her friend in confusion as she asked, "You want to send this Sorceress through a portal to Arendelle?"

Jefferson smiled while he answered for Regina, "Not to Arendelle, but to a realm where Morgan Le Fay won't be able to escape from, and where she can't hurt anyone. A realm that's more like a prison in of itself. It's a great idea, but no one knows if such a place exists. I've certainly never heard of it and I would know, believe me."

"A long time ago, when Rumplestiltskin was still my tutor in magic, I heard him mention something about a strange realm…" Regina continued, then paused to try to think back. "I just can't remember what he called it. If he even ever said a name for it. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure he didn't. Although, I suppose we could send her anyplace with a scarcity of people so that she won't have too many to torment."

"She would only find a way to leave any other realm eventually," the portal jumper objected. "She did find me after all. She may not be able to open up portals herself, but there are still magic beans, special wands, magical compasses… I can't risk her coming after me again so that she can get to Grace too. That's why I'm in this mess to begin with."

Robin turned to the man he had yet to get to know as he responded, "Don't worry, we won't let that happen. Regina wouldn't let that happen. I'm Robin Hood by the way. From Sherwood Forest."

As the archer reached out to shake the other man's hand, the hatter took it to shake it and then replied, "As you've heard, I'm Jefferson. And I come from everywhere really. I've travelled a lot because portal jumping is what I do. It's a unique gift. If Her Majesty can find this realm she's spoken of, then I can certainly open up a portal that will get this Sorceress there. But the other is going to be how we're going to get her close enough to the portal in order to push her through it?"

"Not to mention how it is we're going to find her here and now," Belle added as she looked at Jefferson again. "You may know what she looks like, but she was able to disguise herself as me and she could tap into my thoughts and memories. She knew how to be me and speak the things that I would say in order to fool everyone. Honestly, I'm amazed Hook was able to see through her charade. If his story is a lie or more the ravings of a crazy person, it doesn't make him any less clever to be able to do that."

"Do you have any idea what book it is you're looking for, or are you just picking random ones… Your Majesty?" Jefferson questioned the former Queen, while he picked up one of the books and began to shuffle through its pages after Regina began to search through a third book upon not finding anything in the other two.

Regina smiled as something in her current book suddenly piqued her interest, then she answered, "Actually I think I might have just found it. The Dark Realm. I believe Rumple mentioned that some old, dark fairy became trapped there a long time ago. Although, he also said something about her being able to leave long enough to be able to collect abandoned children and then take them back there with her somehow."

Robin sighed in frustration and then responded, "Great. Then we just need to make sure this Sorceress can't fly. Or better yet…"

"Or better yet, just render her powerless all together like we've done with Gold using one of my mother's cuffs," she replied, then remembered what Jefferson had told them about this witch earlier in her office. "She may be too powerful for us to do that. We may just have to think of another way to trap her entirely. I suppose we could attempt to build another cage like Rumplestiltskin's prison, but that would take too long and she could be too powerful for that even."

"A long time ago, I think I read a book that was based on the Arthurian legend and Camelot," the beauty said again while she tried to remember what she had read. "I believe that this Sorcerer whom Hook has claimed to have killed once trapped another being almost as powerful as himself within a crypt made of stone. Although, in order to do that, I suppose we would need to find someone extremely powerful unless… unless each of the powers you, Blue and the other fairies, and anyone else with magic possess just might be enough to try to do the same thing. And if Emma could somehow harness her own power again, then it should just work."

Regina smiled at the younger woman as she answered, "I'm really glad I asked you to join us. Nice work, Belle."

She smiled back, then proudly responded, "Thank you. Honestly, I like the idea of the Dark Realm better… so long as we learn more about it first and can make sure Morgan Le Fay can't escape. But then either way are certainly possible. I'm just not so sure about Emma's part in our second plan."

"Perhaps you could work with her, Regina," the archer stated while he looked at her imploringly. "We can all do the research without your help."

"Only if Emma is willing," the former Evil Queen replied sternly. "It was hard enough trying to train her in magic the first I tried to before Zelena was killed. And right now, she's not exactly open to the possibility of trying again. But I will at least talk with her when we see her again. For now, let's just get to work in finding out more about the Dark Realm. The book I found its name in doesn't tell us hardly anything. It might as well just be a picture book."


	18. Chapter 18

Leather & Lace

Chapter Eighteen

"After I talk to Whale so I can make sure August will be alright, you and I will find David, Mary Margaret, and the others so we can get back to finding this other villain who hurt him and Belle," Emma firmly said to Killian as she walked quickly through the hospital wing upon leaving the station, while he followed close behind her. "What else can you tell me about her?"

"You know pretty much all I do I'm afraid," he responded quietly when they found themselves in the waiting room, then Emma sat down to wait for Whale or a nurse to come out to talk to them. "Except maybe that she is here because of me. Because I was the one who killed the very Sorcerer who imprisoned her for years. For a short time, I had become a Dark One because of… Never mind all that. A story for another time. Long story short, this witch wanted to kill Merlin, she couldn't because she was trapped, and when she learned she couldn't have her vengeance on him once she was freed, she came after me instead for taking her revenge away from her. I fear I am the reason why all of you are in danger and now, whether you help me or not…"

She finally cut him off as she interrupted, "An old friend of ours just arrived and warned us about Morgan Le Fay as well and he's blaming himself too because he's the one who made it possible for her to come here. He's a time jumper who can open portals in his hat."

Killian nodded and replied, "Jefferson… yeah, I knew of him. We met once or twice. Just after I first arrived here in Storybrooke, though he left town shortly afterwards."

"Right," she stated oddly, as she was still unsure about whether Killian was actually sane or still crazy. "Is there anything else? Did she happen to mention anything that might have given away a weakness we can use against her?"

"Afraid not," the Captain answered in frustration. "Last thing she said before she left was that I had better stop trying to convince you what I've been saying is the truth. Because if I didn't, she would kill you and probably all whom I care about."

The Savior turned her head and finally looked at him again with surprise in her eyes as she asked, "And yet you haven't lied or given up trying despite her threat against us? Why?"

On the day of Neal Nolan's birth…

 _Hook walked into the corridor outside of Snow's hospital room where she was about to give birth to her son as Regina walked away from Emma once they were through talking, then he called out to her saying, "Swan?"_

 _"I heard the little royal was on his way," he continued when she turned around to face him when she heard him speak her name._

 _"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here right now," she sternly responded while she looked at him still with anger in her eyes._

 _Killian approached her anyways until he was less than a foot in front of her as he then whispered, "I want to help."_

 _Emma coldly replied, "If you really wanted to help, you would have told me when Zelena cursed your lips."_

 _"I had no choice," he answered her defensively while she turned her head away for a moment out of annoyance because of what she could see was only an excuse. "She threatened you and your family. I… was trying to help."_

 _"Telling me what was going on would have been help," she retorted while she looked at him again._

 _Hook didn't back down on his conviction as he responded, "And the death sentence for your boy."_

 _Emma kept her voice low to keep everyone else there at the hospital from overhearing their conversation despite wishing she could yell at the pirate, as she replied angrily, "Henry's safety is my concern, not yours, which is why I'm taking this fight to Zelena. This ends today."_

 _Watching as Emma walked past their room, David then stepped out into the hallway to approach his daughter and quietly called out, "Emma, wait. You don't have to do this alone."_

 _"Yeah, I do," she answered stubbornly as she turned back around to face him too. "You need to stay with Mary Margaret."_

 _"Yeah, I know, but you need help," her father responded firmly. "Take Hook."_

 _"Are you insane?" she questioned him in disbelief by his request._

 _David glanced back at the pirate Captain as Killian still remained standing before them waiting for word on what they wanted of him, then turned to Emma again and with more force he replied, "He's going with you."_

 _He looked at Hook once again as he added, "You're going with her."_

 _"Mm, I thought you didn't trust me, mate," he refuted out of frustration._

 _"Zelena backed you into a corner," David said again with a sigh. "You did the best you could."_

 _Emma stared at her father strangely while Killian looked to the Savior again as he walked towards them and stated contemptuously, "See? Even you're father gets it."_

 _She then answered cruelly, "Yeah, because he knows about keeping secrets from loved ones."_

 _"Hey," David responded upon being hurt by her remark, as it was meant to remind him of the time he had kept the secret of almost dying in Neverland from her mother._

 _"I'm sorry," the Savior replied, but out of irritation rather than with sincerity. "I'm doing this alone."_

 _Her father answered forcefully again, "No, you're not. This isn't about you. It's about all of us."_

 _Emma stubbornly continued to argue with him as she asked, "What is he gonna do? I have magic. He's got one hand."_

 _"You know I'm good in a fight," Killian responded when they both looked towards him once more._

 _"At the very least, he can draw fire," David replied, insinuating mockingly that Hook wasn't good for much more._

 _The pirate looked at him feeling insulted as he asked, "What, now I'm cannon fodder?"_

 _Emma finally gave in out of frustration as she answered, "Fine. He can come."_

 _"Fair enough," Hook gave in out of frustration as well, then motioned for her to follow after him as he walked past her to leave. "Shall we?"_

"Because I've learned my lesson," Killian finally responded despondently after taking a moment to come up with the best answer he could tell her. "Secrets and lies have never been good for our relationship. We've both learned that the hard way on more than one occasion."

Before anything more could be said between them, Dr. Whale walked out from the room where August had been brought into to be treated and both Emma and Killian stood again as he called out to her saying, "Emma? August is doing just fine. He'll be hurting for awhile, and he's got a concussion from being hit. But the gash left behind by whatever, whoever attacked him struck him with isn't too deep. I'll keep him overnight just to be safe. He'll be good to leave by morning."

Emma let out a sigh of relief and then replied, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he answered and motioned towards the room to let her know she was free to go in to see him, then simply walked away.

"I'm glad he's going to be alright," Killian whispered as he looked towards their friend's room in worry. "You should go talk with him. Reassure him that you'll defeat the Sorceress who really attacked him."

She looked at Hook strangely upon noticing him use the word 'you'll' instead of 'we'll' like he should have, as she responded, "Don't you mean 'we'll?' You said you were in this fight until the end. That you wouldn't stop fighting."

Hook smiled at her and then sincerely replied, "Aye, love. I won't abandon you. I never have and I wouldn't ever dream of doing so now. But you're by far the stronger hero. Even if you're still struggling to believe as such right now. That's all I really meant."

"What the hell is the pirate doing here?" Grumpy then curtly called out to them as he then entered the corridor while holding his hand to the back of his head in pain before Emma could say more. "I thought he was one of the bad guys."

"I've actually begun to think we were wrong to judge him so harshly," the Savior answered as she glanced at Hook again with a nervous smile, then turned back to the dwarf when he stopped a few feet in front of her.

Killian reached out to grab her arm and gently pulled her back from their friend towards him while he said with concern, "Be careful, Swan. Remember… Morgana used Leroy's disguise to harm August and to make her way through town without being noticed after I rescued Belle."

Grumpy glared at him as he retorted, "I'm not that witch who used her dark magic to blast me back against a brick wall to knock me out cold. What do you mean anyways? Why would I… Pinocchio. Did I… Did I hurt him?"

"Do you actually remember doing that?" Emma questioned him as the dwarf stepped around her upon finally seeing August laying in a hospital bed in the room closest to where they were standing, and Emma tried to look on his person for any sign of another of the black crystals they had found on Belle, yet saw none.

"Sort of, but… I mean I can see him in there with a bandage across his forehead," Leroy responded angrily and then turned to face Emma and Hook again, though mainly Hook. "I was there to talk to you. Or she was. She did something to me. Other than knock me out that is. I could have sworn you actually seemed to be more concerned about my safety than you wanted to kill me."

Killian smiled at him smugly as he replied, "Well… like it or not, I do actually consider you a friend, mate. Underneath your cranky exterior, inside you're far more soft than you care to show anyone so no one will think you're weak. I know that your first name you were given before becoming Grumpy, was Dreamy until you broke your true love's heart so she could grow to become her best self. And I didn't read that from the storybook. You told me so yourself one night when you had one too many drinks. Incredibly noble. You're also bloody terrible at playing cards. You shouldn't play so much unless you learn to cheat, so long as you don't get yourself caught."

Leroy stared at him in disbelief, then turned to Emma again as he asked, "Sister… can you sense if this pirate's lying at all?"

"The things he believes are impossible and I don't know if I can fully believe him about all of our lives being so incredibly different from what we know…" the Savior began as she turned her head to look into Killian's eyes. "…but I do believe he's a friend. And I trust that he won't try to hurt us. I'm taking a leap of faith."

"Then it looks like I am too," Grumpy answered with a smug grin as he looked between Emma and the stranger he too used to believe was a threat. "So… how are we gonna fight this witch?"


	19. Chapter 19

Leather & Lace

Chapter Nineteen

Belle took another few minutes searching Gold's shop along with Regina, Robin, and Jefferson for anything more that might help them to bring down the Sorceress, then the beauty dismissed herself as she told her friends her time would be better spent in the library as she continued to look for answers about the Dark Realm and how one might rid another being of their immortality, if it was even possible. However, Belle's real reasons for returning to the library was more because she couldn't shake the images and flashes of memories that weren't really in her own, as Morgan Le Fay while disguised as her had tricked the man whom she knew had saved her life. If she could learn more about this witch from the stories Morgana had concealed from Hook, then she would spend all evening doing so.

Upon exiting the pawnshop and closing its door, her mind being occupied on trying to make sense of the strange memories, she wasn't paying close enough attention to her surroundings when she turned around as she suddenly bumped into Hook, who happened to be walking by that very moment along with Emma and Leroy from down the street.

Killian immediately apologized as she stated, "Forgive me, love… Belle. It would seem that I wasn't looking where I was walking."

Belle looked at him nervously, though she replied, "Neither was I. But it's all right. I'm sorry too."

"How are you feeling?" he asked out of genuine concern since the last time he had seen the beauty, she was lying unconscious from the Sorceress' spell on the couch within Regina's office. "Better I hope."

"Much better than I was not more than an hour ago," she responded in honesty. "Which I understand is all thanks to you. Robin told me you had saved my life this evening. I want to say thank you, Hook. I'm not sure if those things you spoke of with me… with this… Morgana in the diner earlier this afternoon are true or not, but for what it might be worth, I do trust that you're not the one who's a threat to us."

Killian bowed his head and then stared at the red jeweled ring on his hand while he answered, "I'm grateful for that. Though your gratitude is hardly warranted, since your life was only in danger because I put you in such a position."

Emma finally spoke while she looked over at Killian in amusement saying, "I've got to say, you're certainly the most modest villain we've ever met if you really are as such. And believe me, we've met all kinds. Come on, we should be getting back to the others so I can try to explain to them why I felt you were already deserving of being released from jail. Mary Margaret might be more understanding, but David isn't going to like it. Regina neither."

"Regina, Robin, and Jefferson are here inside the shop looking for a way to trap Morgan Le Fay," Belle replied to explain why they wouldn't see the Queen, the archer, and the hatter any longer with the others. "But you ought to find your parents and Blue at the sheriff's station, or maybe even still in the Mayor's office. As far as I know, they're trying to gather a search party together so they can try to find this villainess."

"Leroy… are you alright?" the beauty then asked out of concern before continuing on towards the library upon seeing her friend still rubbing the back of his head when she turned in his direction.

The dwarf quickly pulled his hand away and let it drop at his side while he responded awkwardly, "Uh… yeah, I'm just fine. Don't worry about me, sister. It was just a small blow to the back of my head. It turns out you weren't the only one this witch used to get something she wanted today."

Belle looked at him worryingly as she patted his arm and then said again, "Thank goodness you're okay. I should go. Be careful, all of you. I promise to let you know if I find anything helpful."

"Thank you, Belle," Emma answered sincerely, then watched as the older woman finally did walk away.

A few minutes later, Emma and Grumpy returned to Regina's office at the town hall where they found not only David and Mary Margaret, but almost all of the dwarfs, as Sneezy and Doc had gone out to find their missing brother, Blue, Archie, Granny, John, and a number of the other merry men as well. Each of them had volunteered to join in the search party to look for Morgan Le Fay or at the very least where she was hiding out with hope they would be able to find something that will help them find a weakness they could use against her.

They were talking amongst themselves until Emma and Grumpy entered, then stopped and stared at Hook as he walked in behind the others. Emma patted Killian's arm by way of reassuring him he deserved to be there among them, then carefully looked at everyone around her as she looked for any sign of deception or another of the black crystals on any one of them while David was the first to question why the pirate wasn't still in the jail.

"Why is he here?" the sheriff curtly asked his daughter while he stared coldly at the stranger. "I thought you were just going to go there to talk to him, not to release him."

Emma glanced over at David, then spoke to everyone as she replied, "Things have already changed since we brought him in. Morgana attacked again. This time it was Leroy and August. They're both fine, but she disguised herself as Leroy like she did Belle so she could break into the jail to talk with Hook. She struck August over the head using Hook's hook she had taken out of David's desk drawer, then tried to frame Hook for it."

Archie questioned, "You'll forgive me for being cynical, but how do you know Hook isn't just telling you this to protect himself, or to continue on with whatever ruse he's playing to get us to trust him?"

"Because I've seen the proof that shows he's telling the truth," she responded, then pulled out the surveillance tape from the station's cameras from her coat's inside pocket. "And there's footage that shows Morgana's true identity. At least we're no longer completely in the dark about every move she's made against us so far. And we have Hook to thank for it. Like I told him, I don't know if what he's said about all of our lives being different from what they are, but I do trust he isn't here to hurt us. That's why he's here."

"He may not have hurt Pinocchio, but it doesn't mean he's still not a villain who came here with his own reasons to invade Storybrooke," Happy retorted in frustration, while the rest of the seven dwarfs aside from Grumpy all nodded their heads in agreement. "He admitted he was a villain from his own mouth."

Grumpy glared at his brothers as he answered, "He told us he used to be a villain. And even if he is still, he's a villain who has a conscience. Believe me, I've seen it. That witch used my face to hurt August and this pirate showed concern for me. Pleaded with Morgana to let me go. I remember that much."

At last Emma spoke again as she stated, "That's not all. Hook hasn't lied to us about anything yet and my superpower hasn't deceived me like the rest of my magic has. His stories are crazy, but I believe he's been sincere with us and that he really does want to help us take down Morgana. So please… I'm not asking you to trust him. And I may not be the Savior any longer, but you trusted me before the Evil Queen's dark curse was broken and I didn't believe I was the Savior. You elected me to become your sheriff only weeks after I first arrived here in town, so I'm asking you to trust me now."

"We can do that," Mary Margaret said with a newfound hope for her daughter's renewed confidence within herself breaking through her self-doubt and regret, although she turned her head to look over at her husband and saw from the contempt on his face that he wasn't ready to put any kind of faith in Hook like she was despite Emma's breakthrough. "Your father and I are with you, Emma. Just let us know what you need."

"Thank you, Mo… Mary Margaret," she stuttered as she accidentally almost allowed 'Mom' slip out rather than her mother's name until she caught herself, stubbornly continuing to refuse to let go of any of her anger towards either of her parents.

Meanwhile…

While the three heroes who had remained behind still looking for answers inside Gold's shop, Regina suddenly let out an angry growl and slammed her latest book closed upon striking out once again in finding any more information that could help them stand against Morgana. The archer who loved her attempted to encourage her to not give up, until she interrupted him by informing Robin and Jefferson that they were going to have to talk with the one enemy who knew the books and valuables among them the best; Rumplestiltskin.

The men tried to object as soon as Regina mentioned the Dark One's name, as they knew as well as anyone that getting answers from him would mean she would have to make a deal or pay some kind of price, to which the Mayor spoke up saying, "If the price is too steep, then we'll keep wasting our time here, or rejoin the others in their search for the witch. However, Emma mentioned Rumplestiltskin had asked for a few books and a hot meal from Granny's. I'm hoping that's enough."

Jefferson scoffed and then uttered, "I highly doubt it, but I suppose it's worth a shot."


	20. Chapter 20

Leather & Lace

Chapter Twenty

The search party spread out and looked throughout all of Storybrooke including within the woods for Morgan Le Fay until it became too late and far too dark to continue. It was near midnight when a fair number of heroes returned to Granny's to wind down despite it being long past business hours, the Charmings, Emma, Hook, the dwarfs, Archie, Marco, and August, who had left the hospital early against Whale's objections. The older woman handed around hot chocolates, coffee, or tea to anyone who wanted something to drink, then she joined in on the conversation as they discussed what was next. Unfortunately, not many good ideas were going around and everyone was feeling defeated.

They knew who the Sorceress was now thanks to the surveillance footage, but Morgana was keeping herself well hidden and for all they knew, she could still be any one of the townsfolk. Those in the diner had been searched for a crystal by the sheriffs and so thankfully those sitting in Granny's were free to talk. However, so far even Regina and the fairies have failed to find her through magic and searching by conventional means haven't turned her up either.

"It looks like we have no choice, but to wait until this witch comes to us in her next attack and then we'll fight back," Mary Margaret said quietly out of frustration while she looked down at her sleeping three year old boy in her arms.

"She may be using a cloaking spell to keep herself from being found, but we can't just wait for her to attack us," Geppetto answered sternly with concern as he turned to his son, then reached up to tenderly pat the side of his face as he stared worryingly at the bandage still on his forehead. "We already waited and my boy was already injured by her.

While Killian lowered his head in shame for their friend being hurt because of him and kept his eyes on his hand underneath the table where he was sitting beside Emma, August turned to his father as he replied, "I'm alright, Papa. The gash left behind is small and I can hardly feel it anymore thanks to the medications Whale gave me to take for the pain."

Hook raised his head and looked between the two men as he responded, "I am sorry. I never meant for anyone to be hurt because of me."

"It wasn't your fault," August answered sincerely. "I realize now that you were right about not wanting to hurt Emma. She trusts you and that's good enough for me. Besides, she told me that you tried to help me after I was struck. I appreciate that. So thank you."

"Yes, I thank you too," Marco added as he looked towards Killian as well and bowed his head in gratitude, to which Killian simply nodded.

Mary Margaret then spoke up as she gently handed Neal over to her husband and stood up saying, "Hook, may I speak with you for a moment… alone?"

Killian stood up too and followed Emma's mother out into the hallway outside of the diner's main room, then as she turned to face him while he looked at her worryingly, she continued, "Don't worry. I'm not going to scold you or accuse you of being less than truthful. On the contrary. I wanted to thank you."

"I'm not sure I understand," the Captain replied while he looked at her in confusion. "I haven't done anything. Nor have we defeated Morgana."

"Not yet we haven't, but for the first time since Emma's lost herself because of her father and me, she has shown confidence again that we haven't seen in a very long time," she responded and then leaned in to kiss Killian on his cheek by way of showing her gratitude. "We were beginning to fear we would never see her be the strong woman we know she is again and yet tonight we did. David may not admit it was thanks to you, but it is. Somehow, you brought that side of her out again and now there's hope she will find her way back. Thank you."

Killian just nodded without another word, then Mary Margaret walked away to return to the others. He stood there for a few moments before following after her and just as he re-entered the diner as well, Belle suddenly came running inside through the front door with a book in her hands and struggled to catch her breath before she could speak to try to explain her abrupt entrance.

Archie was sitting closest to her as he immediately stood and reached out to help her while he asked, "Are you alright, Belle? What's wrong?"

"Nothing… nothing's wrong," she answered eagerly while she looked around at everyone until she set the book she was carrying down on the table in front of Emma as well as her parents, and Killian walked back over to see what it was. "It's something good… really good actually. At least I think so."

" _Peter Pan_?" Emma uttered as she looked up at the beauty strangely, not understanding her reasoning for showing them a children's book.

Belle stood beside Killian while everyone kept their eyes trained on her as she then explained, "You know how I told you that I vaguely remembered moments shared between Hook and Morgan Le Fay still disguised as me while they were in the library? Well, I remembered him talking about the villain from this book now being Black Beard, rather than himself… since he apparently doesn't exist."

She quickly opened the book and shuffled through its pages as Killian had done earlier until she came to the very chapter that introduced the villain, then held it open there for everyone to look at the drawing while she continued, "Hook's been telling us the truth all along, even about him and how he is truly apart of all our lives, as impossible as it is to believe. When I saw this page as Hook showed it to me, it was of Black Beard like he said. But now, the drawing's somehow changed. It isn't of Black Beard any longer, but one of a pirate who calls himself Captain Hook. He just doesn't look like this Hook does."

"How is this possible?" Emma questioned in disbelief as she stared between the picture and Killian, almost with fear in her eyes because it meant that what she believed were only his delusions of a happy life with him she didn't know might be true after all.

"It must be because our belief in him, is slowly restoring his existence in this world," the beauty nervously replied. "Honestly, I would like to think he's right. Because it would mean that Rumple and I are actually happy together. I still love him, despite everything. If a happy ending with him is a possibility…"

David interrupted as he scoffed, then responded coldly, "It's not possible. I don't believe him. I'm sorry if I'm being unreasonable, but it's fair not to. We've only just met him and he may have tried to help August and saved Belle, but he hasn't really done much else to prove he isn't tricking us. This could all still be nothing more than a ruse he's conjured up with the Sorceress. How is it possible for someone to make the entire world, magical or not, forget one person's existence as popular as this supposed villain from this book? Why would someone even want to? Hook is after all, just a villain. Why would this witch want to make us all forget about him?"

Killian lowered his head and stared down at the table with sadness in his eyes, then he answered somberly, "I honestly don't know. Believe me, I've been asking myself that same question ever since I woke up in the hospital this morning and discovered everyone I love has forgotten me. All I know is that Morgan Le Fay has done this to punish me, not any of you. I've never once made myself out to be some saint, or even that important to anyone's destinies that have come about in my existence. I know I've helped. And I know I've managed to change your mind, Dave… about pirates, or at least about me. You eventually came to see me as your son because deep down you know that I love your daughter and everyone else here. That I would do anything to keep you safe. It's because of all of you that I stopped being the villain I am in this book. Because you came to see me as a hero even when I didn't. David and Snow… some time ago I helped Emma find her home here in Storybrooke with all of you and helped her to understand how much she needed you in her life as her parents despite what you did. In time, in my reality, she forgave you because in her heart she understood you did what you did out of love and we've all done terrible things out of love. I myself more than most. And Belle… it's like you said, you still love Gold and he you. So much so, that he was able to give up being the villain for you and for your son. But all of that is because of you, not because I had anything to do with it."

"Whether we succeed in breaking this curse that's on me when we defeat this Sorceress or not, it doesn't matter," he resolved after taking a moment to collect his thoughts while he wearily rested his fingers over the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling a strange sense of exhaustion beyond just being tired after a long day. "I know you all well enough to know that over time you'll come around again and continue to be the heroes I love without me. Emma will become the Savior again and bring back your happy endings. And Emma… you will find your own too. I've no doubt in that."

"Hook… wait!" Emma tried calling out to him when Killian simply turned away from everyone and then walked out the door despite her pleas for him to stay.

"I'll go talk with him," David sternly responded while he handed Neal back down to his wife, knowing he'd gone too far in upsetting Hook and felt bad that he had been too harsh on him even though he still wasn't completely convinced Hook was telling the truth.

As he left the diner to follow after the pirate, it was then that Regina returned to join them along with Robin and Jefferson, then upon seeing both Hook and the Prince pass them as they did so, the Queen asked snidely, "Have we already let the pirate out of jail? He wasn't in for very long."

Emma shook her head as she answered, "It turns out he really isn't a threat to us like we were all so quick to believe. Wait… where have you been? We thought you guys were going to join us in our search for Morgana. We were at it for hours."

"Trapped and unconscious within our own prison thanks to that witch," Regina angrily replied as she took a seat in one of the empty booths.

"Oh my gosh!" Mary Margaret immediately exclaimed worryingly as she stood again with her son in her arms and went over to sit beside her friend and stepmother. "Are you alright?"

Robin looked between their friends surrounding them as he crossly responded, "Luckily we're fine. Morgana appeared down in the mines as we were leaving them from having gone down to speak with Rumplestiltskin. She found out that Jefferson arrived in Storybrooke to try to warn us of her coming here and brought down the roof in one of the cavern's tunnels over our heads. Regina was knocked unconscious and remained unconscious for quite awhile, while Jefferson and I worked to pull away the rocks keeping us from escaping the tunnel that were keeping us trapped. She also stole Jefferson's hat. Thankfully, Regina was alright when she finally came to, then healed herself and the rest of us, and blasted us out of there."

The former Evil Queen then definitively added, "Morgan Le Fay is going to get what's coming to her."


	21. Chapter 21

Leather & Lace

Chapter Twenty-One

Hours ago within the mines…

As the three heroes approached the tunnel where Rumplestiltskin's prison was at the end of, Robin looked over at Regina again after they had been walking since leaving Granny's Diner to get the hot meal the Queen hoped to bribe the Dark One with in silence and then he asked, "So I thought you were going to go speak with Emma earlier to try to help her again, rather than remain with Jefferson and me while we looked through Gold's books and the shop? Did you have second thoughts?"

Without looking at him, she responded, "I suppose so. It's just that I've tried to help Emma before. For a long time after she closed herself off from everyone. We all have. You know that. She may be able to help us trap Morgana in another crypt… we can keep this witch imprisoned in my vault… But getting Emma to look deep within herself in order tap into her powers again, I can tell you she won't be open to it. She never has been."

"Do you remember when you enlisted me to kidnap Emma and Mary Margaret shortly before your curse was broken?" the hatter asked while he walked behind the others to give them their space. "She wasn't open to believing there was more going on here in Storybrooke than she could logically understand then either and yet she did eventually come around and became the Savior just as she was destined to be. Granted, how I tried to convince her she had magic within her wasn't the best way to do it. I really scared her and her mother. Not to mention that I nearly got myself killed. My point is, we can bring her around again. She's stronger than she's ever known."

"You're annoyingly right," Regina answered sternly, then stopped walking just before they rounded the corner where the Dark One was undoubtedly waiting for them to show themselves to him and continued to whisper. "I'll see if we can talk later when we meet up with them. In the meantime…"

The archer interrupted, "Are you really sure talking with the Dark One is necessary? Do you really believe a warm meal and a few books are going to work?"

All of a sudden, Rumplestiltskin spoke up from his cell as he eerily replied, "How about you come all the way over here and find out. Don't be shy… I know you're there. And not just because you all whisper louder than a laughing hyena."

"Gold," Regina stated coldly as she, Robin, and Jefferson finally stepped out into the open and came face to face with one of their most dangerous enemies. "It's good to see that you haven't gone all crazy like you did the first time you were imprisoned by the Charmings."

"Who says I haven't," he retorted while he stared between those before him until he turned to Regina and smiled. "I've got to say that three visits in one day is quite unusual, but it's been quite enjoyable to have the company."

The Mayor looked at him in confusion as she questioned, "Three visits? We know Emma came down here with the Blue Fairy, but who was your other visitor?

The Dark One reached his hand through the bars of his cage and touched the bag of food in Regina's hands with one of his fingers while he responded, "The answer to that, dearie… will cost you what you brought me for whatever other reason you had for coming down here. At least the food that's in that bag you're carrying."

"Fine…" she said curtly, then reached into the bag and pulled out a styrofoam bowl of mashed potatoes with gravy. "But only Granny's mashed potatoes. If you want her homemade lasagna and her biscuits as well, then you're going to have to tell us about the Dark Realm and who this evil fairy was you once told me is trapped in there. Who else came down here?"

"None other than the man you're speculating it was in your head right now… that mysterious pirate all dressed in leather," Gold answered with a smile, then quickly snatched the potatoes as soon as Regina move her hand in close enough to give them to him.

The Queen's eyes darkened as she then replied, "I knew it. He did come to town to help you to escape."

After he ate a little of the mashed potatoes using his fingers to scoop them up with and to feed himself until Robin pulled out a plastic spoon from the bag to hand to him, Gold snidely responded, "I didn't say that, dearie. Look at me! I'm still here. If he wanted to let me out, I'd be gone and we wouldn't be having this conversation. I even made him an offer that might have ended with me being freed from my gilded cage, but he turned it down. Despite my willingness to help him out against the witch. This pirate is a fool. All he wanted to know was how he was still in existence when he has never been brought into existence. That… and help in restoring what he insanely believes to be reality. If you ask me, he belongs with the rest of the looneys locked away in the asylum."

"And he turned you down?" Jefferson asked in surprise.

"How crazy is that?" Rumplestiltskin answered simply.

The archer looked at the Dark One skeptically as he replied, "You could have lied to us about him plotting with you to break you out of here in order to get us to see him as a bigger threat. He denied you freedom and yet you're not trying to make him pay for it. That isn't like you."

The Dark One continued eating while in between bites using the spoon given to him, he responded, "From what this… Hook told me about this Sorceress, it sounds to me that he's already gotten what he deserves and more."

"That's great," Regina stated again curtly, then pulled out the biscuits next and handed them into him. "Now, what about the Dark Realm?"

"The Dark Realm…" he started to answer until he quickly ate one of the breads whole and chewed until he swallowed. "It is a realm made up of immense dark power, where time runs strangely and yet anything is possible. Only this Black Fairy I spoke of, as Mother Superior has spoken of, has been banished there. However, she has been known to leave of her own freewill to travel out into the world to kidnap children, yet she is eventually forced to return, being unable to escape altogether. If you're looking to banish this witch currently here in Storybrooke, you're going to have an awfully difficult time doing that, dearies. Because to do that… you would need a very special, one of a kind wand and no one knows where it is."

The Mayor finally handed the lasagna through as well and sarcastically replied, "You're just full of good news this evening. Aren't ya? Do you think it's possible to imprison her as Merlin from Camelot did?"

Rumplestiltskin scoffed as he turned to face his enemies again and then responded, "How in the hell am I supposed to know that without meeting this witch? Immortal or not, there's always a way to stop them. As you know from trapping me. Good luck! And let's make this, the last visit we have for a very long time."

"Well that was a total bust!" Regina grumbled angrily after she, Robin, and the hatter finally left Rumplestiltskin behind in his prison, though not before giving him the books Jefferson carried down with them for him, and continued walking back through the tunnels to return to the elevator within the library that was waiting for them. "We learned nothing from that conversation."

"At least he offered us a little encouragement, in his own way," Robin answered. "At the very least, it gave us a stronger reason to want to defeat her. If only to show the Dark One we can, just as we did him."

Before Regina could say something back, Morgan Le Fay in her own appearance suddenly appeared before them as they nearly reached the elevator, then she replied, "I'm afraid that I can't let you three try to stop me. Not when I'm so close to getting my revenge on that pirate. I hate to say it, but he's gotten so much further than I expected he would. But none of you are a match for me. Not even you, Queenie."

The Sorceress turned to face Jefferson as she immediately summoned his top hat from off his head and into her hands before he could try to stop her, then she added, "And you… hatter, I'm very disappointed. You really should have returned to wherever you hid your precious daughter to protect her, and allowed me to come here to do what I came to do. Once I'm through here… and it will be very soon now, I will find Grace and I will kill her."

Regina unleashed her power against the villainess before them until Morgana fought back as she effortlessly snuffed out the fireball Regina projected at her, then raised her hands and eyes to the roof of the tunnel above the heroes' heads, bringing it down around them and blocking their path before vanishing again.

Regina beckoned as much of her strength and power within herself as she could in that moment by raising her own hands to try to keep the rocks from collapsing on Robin and Jefferson, as well as herself. Unfortunately, her efforts weren't enough to keep herself being struck. She lost consciousness when one of the larger stones hit her in the back of her head while both men with her were saved as they struggled to help her, finding themselves trapped within the rubble.


	22. Chapter 22

Leather & Lace

Chapter Twenty-Two

After Killian left Granny's in order to get away from everyone whether they believed him or not, he walked down the streets until he entered the harbor and then came to the spot where he and Emma liked to sit often to watch the sunset and sometimes the sunrise, the same place where he had helped the woman he loved to understand how important it was for her to forgive her parents. He sat down upon the curb and began to stare out over the ocean at the horizon through the dark, while he began to think back on some of the moments he shared with those he loved and cared for that meant most to him.

On the night Killian and Emma returned from their time travel adventure…

 _Upon seeing Hook take a seat at one of the empty tables outside in the patio area through one of the diner's windows, Emma realized she had one more thing she needed to do that evening before the celebration ended and walked out to join Killian as she took a seat across from him, then she spoke up quietly saying, "So… do you think Rumplestiltskin is right? I'm in the book now. He said everything, besides our little adventure, would go back to normal. Do you think that it is?"_

 _He chuckled and then replied cheekily, "He's right. Otherwise I'd remember that damn bar wench I kissed."_

 _"How would that prove anything?" she asked, as she smiled because of his swagger._

 _"I know how you kiss," Killian proudly answered, though he twirled the rings on his fingers almost as if he felt uncomfortable for admitting such a truth. "I'd have gone after her. But I didn't. My life went on exactly the same as before."_

 _Emma teased him as she responded, "Yeah, must have been the rum."_

 _Hook smiled and then stated, "Everything's back to normal. You're a bloody hero, Swan."_

 _"So are you," the Savior replied sincerely upon noticing his humility about being there for her when she needed him to be and tenderly rested her hand over his arm, as Hook only chortled again. "I wanted to thank you, Killian. For going back for me in the first place in New York. If you hadn't…"_

 _He quickly interrupted, "It was the right thing to do."_

 _Emma continued to notice something was off with him as though Killian was still hiding something out of shame or embarrassment and so in hope of getting him to open up to her, she asked softly, "How did you do it? How did you get to me?"_

 _"Well, the curse was coming," the pirate Captain answered casually. "I ditched my crew and took the Jolly Roger as fast and as far as I possibly could to outrun it."_

 _"You outran a curse?" she asked out of disbelief._

 _She chuckled herself when Killian continued by saying, "I'm a hell of a Captain. And once I was outside of the curse's purview, I knew that the walls were down. Transport between the worlds was possible again. All I needed was a magic bean."_

 _Emma responded, "Those are not easy to come by."_

 _"They are if you've got something of value to trade," Hook replied while he lowered his head to look down at his hand again._

 _"And what was that?" she asked him, having no idea that what he was about to tell her would make her see just how much he truly cared for her, and she for him._

 _Almost as if he was teasing her even though he truly spoke with sincerity, Killian then answered, "Why, the Jolly Roger, of course."_

 _The Savior looked for any signs of a lie within his eyes as they softened and then out of astonishment, she questioned, "You traded your ship for me?"_

 _"Aye," he uttered softly with a simple nod of his head, then Emma leaned into him to kiss him._

On the docks the night Killian asked David for Emma's hand in marriage…

 _"You okay?" Killian asked the Prince as he slowly walked up behind David while he was looking out over the ocean._

 _"I think so," he despondently responded and then chuckled before finally turning around to face his friend. "I owe you an apology. You were the noble one, not me. And I'm sorry it cost you more than I realized it would. And I'm sorry I risked what you're making with Emma."_

 _Killian thought carefully about his next words while he spoke them saying, "So you think… I'm good enough for her?"_

 _With sincerity, David replied, "You've done the hardest thing anyone can do. You've changed. And today, you saved me from a terrible mistake, and I… I don't know if I'm gonna be able to pay you back."_

 _"As luck would have it, I might have an idea," Killian nervously answered as he looked to his right to avoid Charming's gaze at first in case his face showed nothing more than contempt. "There's one way for you not to lose your family… and that's to let it grow."_

 _"David, may I have your blessing to ask for Emma's hand in marriage?" he asked bravely after he cleared his throat and looked into David's eyes with hope of receiving the answer he longed for._

 _Charming stared at the pirate in disbelief for several seconds, making Killian believe that the man still saw him as nothing other than a pirate as he scoffed in frustration until Emma's father began to smile and finally responded happily, "Of course."_

 _Killian let out a laugh of reprieve while David laughed himself as he continued, "Of course you have my blessing."_

 _"Well, now, that is a relief," the older man replied while he kept on smiling._

 _"Well, I mean, it's up to Emma, of course, but, yes, you have my blessing," David added as he moved in closer to his friend to pat his shoulders by way of showing him how pleased he was._

 _Hook whispered, "Thank you."_

 _The Prince answered, "I didn't realize you were so old-fashioned."_

 _"Well, I am over two hundred years old, mate," Killian responded cheekily._

 _"Right," David stated with a chuckle. "Right."_

 _They both finally began to walk towards town as Charming patted his arm again while he asked, "Were you really that nervous?"_

 _Hook replied, "Why would I be nervous? 'Prince Charming' doesn't set the bar high at all."_

 _"Well, I am overdue to wake up Snow, but I won't tell her the news until it's official," he answered while they continued to walk._

 _"I appreciate that, David," the pirate Captain responded. "I appreciate all of it."_

A moment between him and Snow the night he was banished from Storybrooke by Gideon…

 _While the white powder that gave the fairytale Princess her name fell heavily all around them, Snow walked to the end of the deck overlooking the seas before her, then turned her head and began to walk towards her daughter's love as she called out, "Hook! Are you going somewhere? I've been looking everywhere for you and Emma."_

 _Killian replied nervously, "No, I was just, uh, grabbing some stuff from the Jolly Roger. Is… is everything okay?"_

 _"Oh, more than okay," she answered with a laugh once she reached him, then shoved her hands into her pockets to try to keep them warmer. "I can hardly believe I'm about to say this. Regina did it. She actually did it."_

 _"Did what?" the older man asked in confusion._

 _She was surprised he hadn't heard the news, but she responded, "Vanquished the Evil Queen… redeemed her, even, gave her a happy ending, even if she doesn't realize it yet."_

 _He looked down with disbelief when he questioned, "The… The Evil Queen got a happy ending?"_

 _"I know," she whispered, turning back to her again as she continued to explain until he looked around him with frustration before she finished. "I honestly didn't think it was possible for someone like her… not after all of these years. But it was. And tonight reminded me of something that I hope I never forget again… love can save even the darkest souls. You just have to believe in it."_

 _"Speaking of love…" the Princess added, noticing the worry on her daughter's true love's face, but not really thinking much of it other than believing it was worry that she wouldn't approve of him marrying Emma as she suspected he feared David wouldn't either. "Emma told me. Killian, I couldn't be happier for you… both of you… She has waited a long time to find the right person with whom to share her life. I'm so happy it's you."_

 _After Emma's mother leaned forward to kiss his cheek and gave him a brief hug much to Killian's surprise, she started to turn away until she spoke to him again asking, "You'll let her know?"_

 _Struggling to comprehend all Snow had just told him, Killian stuttered, "Uh, know… know what?"_

 _"Oh, that Regina's okay," she replied strangely._

 _"Yeah," he answered. "Yeah. Of course… course I will."_

 _She smiled at him and responded, "Okay. Um… It's so cold out here. Go home."_

Aboard the Jolly Roger with Belle upon her return from the Dream World…

 _Belle looked around her, then turned to her friend as she followed Killian aboard his ship and in confusion she questioned, "What? T… This is where you want me to stay? The Jolly Roger? Yeah, I'm sorry. I… I can't stay here. If Rumple finds you harboring me…"_

 _"His wrath will be an added bonus," he smugly replied before she finish while keeping his eyes trained on the woman in front of him._

 _"I don't understand," the beauty continued out of concern for him. "Why would you risk your life for me?"_

 _Killian breathed in deeply and glanced away ashamedly from time to time while he answered somberly, "Long ago, I… I tried to kill you in the Queen's castle once. I failed. But along the way, I did something I can… live with no longer. I laid a hand on you. And there's the matter of my shooting you at the town line."_

 _She looked up at him as she sincerely responded, "Yeah, well, you've changed since all that."_

 _"Maybe," he stated again quickly. "I have a long road to travel before I can be someone I can be proud of. Despite the forgiveness of others, I must forgive myself, and I'm not there yet."_

 _"Well, then I accept," Belle replied, looking into his eyes as she spoke. "You're not the only one trying to make up for past mistakes. I spent way too long trying to make things work with Rumple just because I wanted them to. Now I've got to do what's best for my son."_

The morning after Emma saved him from the Lost Boys in Neverland…

 _Emma was in the kitchen of hers and Killian's home making pancakes when Killian walked up behind her and tenderly pulled her into his arms as she smiled at his touch, then he alluringly whispered into her ear, "Something smells delicious."_

 _Knowing what he really saying, she replied happily, "It's just from a box."_

 _"I'm not talking about the pancakes," her pirate retorted cheekily, then she forgot about their breakfast as Emma suddenly spun around and kissed him passionately until she pulled back to look into his eyes again, though her look made him wonder what she was thinking of in that moment. "What?"_

 _"I'm just… happy," the Savior answered affectionately. "It still surprises me sometimes."_

 _Killian smiled at her and then responded, "Aye, love. Me, too."_

 _They continued to kiss with more and more fervency until Emma pulled back long enough to utter, "To hell with the pancakes."_

 _Their passion only heighted as Emma pushed him back against the island behind him and continued to kiss him deeply, attempting to unbutton his vest and shirt. Unfortunately, their ravishing moment didn't last long as Snow walked in the front door excitedly without bothering to knock and immediately realized what she had interrupted, as Emma and Henry had done a couple of years ago in a moment between her and David to make tacos the morning after she and Emma returned home from the Enchanted Forest, having been separated from David and Henry._

Back in the present…

"Sorry," David whispered apologetically when he accidently startled Killian from his thoughts as he approached him after coming to find him. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me," Hook retorted more curtly than he intended to as he glanced over at his father in law, only to turn away again to continue looking out in front of him. "I assure you, I don't scare easily. Only when I feel my life coming apart."

The Prince nodded in understanding and then awkwardly replied, "I can… understand that. So, what exactly are you doing down here, staring out over the ocean in the middle of the night when you can barely see anything?"

While continuing to stare out in front of him, Killian answered quietly, "I'm just thinking. The ocean calms me. It always has, even in the times I've felt… inconsolable. Like now. I've been… reminiscing. On the memories that now only exist in my head and I've realized… I'm going to have to get used to the fact that the life I knew before I was cursed, is all over. That my happy ending was only meant to last for what feels like a fleeting moment within the centuries I've been alive."

"I can only imagine what you must be feeling," David responded in remorse after they both fell silent for several minutes until he finally broke it again. "I realized something too. That I didn't help you much by saying those things I said back at Granny's and for that I'm sorry. The truth is that I still don't know what to think. You're a complete stranger to us, Hook. And believing in someone like you… someone who has admitted to being a villain, telling a story as wild as the one you've been trying to convince us of is real, it's just extremely hard to swallow."

"I get it, mate," he replied when Hook finally turned to face the younger man and kept his eyes on him. "Truly I do. I just hope that if there's one thing you do believe in and accept out of all I said in the diner, it's that one day Emma will come around and forgive you and her mother someday."

All of a sudden, the Sorceress appeared behind Killian and David and both heroes immediately turned their attentions to her. Out of instinct, Killian reached down to his side to pull his cutlass from its scabbard, until he quickly remembered he was no longer wearing it on him due to his sword being confiscated by David after he and Emma found him on the beach that morning. Thankfully, they still had one small defense, as the sheriff still had his service weapon on him and pulled it out as he aimed the weapon on her.

Morgan Le Fay laughed and then said haughtily, "I know you know that weapon of yours is completely useless against me. So why do you even bother?"

Killian glared back at the villainess while David answered, "I suppose it makes us feel stronger, even if it is pointless to try to kill a witch who's immortal with a simple bullet. It's good to see you've finally decided to face us as yourself rather than as one of us."

"It appears you've gotten what you wanted all along," Killian continued despondently even though he tried his best to appear strong in front of her. "I've made no progress in getting anyone here to believe in me and I realize I never will. My past life is now nothing, but a fairytale that never really happened. Congratulations."

"As much as I wish I could believe you, Hook… the truth is I don't," Morgana responded snidely, then she suddenly forced the gun out of the Prince's hands and projected it into the ocean. "These heroes may not believe your… 'fairytale' you've spun, but they no longer believe you're the threat to them that I've so cleverly made you appear to be. They're slowly beginning to trust in you. And to me, that's unacceptable. Besides, I understand the damsel has discovered that _Peter Pan's_ villain is once again the infamous Captain Hook. It really hurt you to see Black Beard on that page instead of you earlier, didn't it? And yet seeing you've returned to the book didn't heighten your faith that you might actually succeed?"

David finally called out, "Enough of your taunts. None of us know what to believe right now, but we do know that we can certainly trust in Hook, more than we can trust you. What do you want?"

Morgana smiled and then spoke again cruelly saying, "I've come to remind Hook that he isn't the only one who's going to suffer for his defiance. I did warn you that people you cared about would suffer if you kept at it, didn't I… Captain?"

Without another word, the evil Sorceress suddenly used her magic to twist one of the wet nets from the ships nearby lying out to dry around David, then propelled him back through the air and into the ocean. Killian cried out in fear and didn't hesitate to dive into the dark waters to save him.


	23. Chapter 23

Leather & Lace

Chapter Twenty-Three

Upon diving into the ocean after David, Killian swam down as he desperately searched for his father in law having only the moonlight shining down through the waters that made visibility nearly impossible. However, Killian had lived on the seas all his life. Seeing through dark and murky waters at night was something he was good at and it only took seconds for him to find David, who was struggling the best he could to break free of the net that was twisted around him was dragging him down.

The pirate swam faster and deeper and finally managed to grab hold of the net, then quickly pulled out a small dagger he had concealed within his jacket and between it and his hook, began to cut away to free David. Both men were running out of air, but Killian wasn't going to give up. Losing David would tear Snow apart and devastate their children. Not to mention it would kill him too. He was after all the father Killian's own never was. David's death would be on his head.

At last, the ropes fell away and Killian helped the younger man swim up to the surface even though his own eyes were growing heavy as consciousness was fading. Fortune smiled on them as they both broke the water and then gasped air into their lungs in a struggle to breathe again.

Once he could concentrate again, David turned his eyes towards the harbor where Morgan Le Fay had been standing moments earlier while they were treading water and found the Sorceress was no longer anywhere to be seen, then the Prince looked forward at Hook as he spoke weakly, yet with sincerity saying, "Thank… thank you. You save… saved… me."

Killian seemed to ignore him as he looked towards land and grumbled, "Let's… just get back on lan… land. We'll only drown… anyways if we st… stay out here… much longer."

"Good… point," David answered, then swam as best he could towards the harbor while Killian followed more slowly behind him on account of him having only one hand to help him swim with.

"Are you alright?" he then asked his rescuer as he turned towards Hook again once the two men finally collapsed on land after climbing back over the curb where they had been talking before Morgana's attack.

Hook nodded and responded, "Aye. And… you're welcome. I couldn't an… answer before. I'm just sorry… that you were almost killed… because of me."

Charming shook his head, then he replied, "I'm alive because of you. I'll admit… I wasn't expecting you to jump in after me. I'm happy to have been wrong. Whoever you really are, Hook… whatever is going on here between you and that witch, you deserve better than how I've been treating you since we found you this morning. I'm sorry."

"And I confess, I didn't just do it for you," the pirate answered with a wink, then took David's hand when he reached down to help Killian stand. "We should probably be getting back before your wife sends out another search party for us. I know she will have felt you were in danger from nearly drowning. On account of you two sharing a heart that is."

"How did you…?" the Prince began to question until he changed his mind. "You know what? I really don't need to know right now. It sounds like a long story for another time."

All of a sudden, they heard Mary Margaret crying out to her husband in the distance shouting, "David!"

He quickly looked at Hook again before running towards his wife and their daughter as he whispered, "It looks like you were right. Come on."

Two days later, without another attack by Morgana…

"I can't believe it's been days since she's come here and we're still no closer to finding a way to trap her," Killian grumbled out of frustration as he walked with Emma, her parents, and Neal down the street towards the Charmings' loft after they left Granny's together upon gathering there with some of the others including Regina and Robin.

"I'm afraid that's mostly my fault," Emma responded worryingly, looking towards the stranger as a small part of her was surprised he hadn't run off even now. "Regina and my parents have been trying to get me to open up enough so my magic will return. But I have tried and it won't work. It's going to take both me and Regina. And that's only if we can actually do it."

Mary Margaret reached out to touch her daughter's arm until Emma immediately pulled away, but she pushed down her disappointment and then replied, "You will. You're making progress, Emma. You're trying again. Days ago, you were shut off from everyone and now look where we are."

A relieved, yet sad smile came to Killian's face until he immediately masked it when David glanced towards him as his wife spoke, then he looked back over at the women in his life as he said quietly, "Your mother's right. It took a long time for you to develop your magic the first time around. We don't doubt you'll find it again."

"You heroes just don't know when to quit, do you?" Morgana suddenly asked from behind them as she appeared in black smoke, and the four heroes immediately spun around to face her. "And you, Hook… I've given you every opportunity to give up and accept this as your new life, but you can't leave well enough alone."

"I'm fighting for them," Killian retorted angrily. "They deserve the life they had before you came here to interfere. It's just like you told me in the library, Morgana. Everyone can have what they had before whether the curse you put over me is broken or not. They can still be happy. Emma can become the Savior again and in time I've no doubt she and her parents will come together. Belle, even if we can't find a way to save Gold from himself, perhaps she can find a new happy ending. And so can Regina and Robin."

The Sorceress scoffed, then answered, "You mean the man who died because of your actions before? Are you sure you're really willing to give your life selflessly for his and the Queen's sake? Or to soothe your own conscience? It doesn't sound so selfless to me."

Hook saw that Emma had turned to look at him in confusion, but he ignored her gaze as he kept his eyes solely on their enemy before them while he responded, "I'm not helping them for my own sake any longer. I've accepted my life from before is over. But we will defeat you."

"No you won't," she replied coldly as she used her magic to shatter the windshield of a parked car nearby, then carefully levitated a large piece of the broken glass towards her while she stared at the heroes in front of her and smiled. "And neither will your precious Savior."

All of a sudden, Morgan Le Fay propelled the shard with violent speed straight at Emma's heart. Yet without any hesitation, Killian stepped between Emma and the imminent danger to protect the woman he loves, as the glass became deeply embedded in his own chest instead. Emma and David immediately caught Hook when his legs gave out from under him and he began to collapse, then she carefully lifted him against her chest to hold him while she laid her free hand over the wound around the shard. And it was in that moment the Sorceress was completely forgotten.

"No… no… no… no!" she fearfully cried out as tears began to fall down her cheeks while he struggled to look up into her eyes through the pain. "Just hold for me, okay? You're going to be fine. You will. I'm not going to let you die."

David looked down on them sadly while Killian weakly answered, "It does… doesn't matter. You do. But not just be… because you're… Savior. You're loved. By your… parents… everyone else. You always have… have been. You just… you didn't know it."

Tears slipped from Mary Margaret's eyes as well while the stranger to them all days ago spoke, as Emma whispered, "I can't believe you would do this for me. You took a hit that was meant for me. No one's ever done that for me before."

"I couldn't let her… kill you," he continued. "I love you, but it's… like your father learned… before they were married… that actions speak… louder than words."

"Don't die," she pleaded fearfully as Hook painfully gasped and closed his eyes, then watched helplessly as blood began to trickle out from the corner of his mouth and Emma glanced down at her hand while she struggled to concentrate on bringing her power back to the surface so she could try to save him as he did her. "Please… Why isn't it working? Mom… Dad!"

When Killian's hand slipped from within her mother's grip against the ground, Emma leaned over him as she closed her eyes and tenderly kissed his lips, then a sudden wave of magic burst from within Killian while the dark magic put there by Morgan Le Fay dispelled. The Savior immediately pulled back as all memories of both her true life with the man she loved and her life of the last few days without him as her husband suddenly collided together and she remembered everything. His clothes of their world had been restored, as were both of their wedding rings as though nothing had ever changed.

The Savior quickly shrugged off her confusion as she concentrated on Killian and carefully pulled the glass shard from his chest, then laid her hand over his wound again to heal him now that she could once again. Her hand glowed as her power flowed through her and into him, yet when she was finished as the wound and his blood disappeared, he didn't awaken as he always has in their past despite Emma's best efforts to rouse him.

Snow looked up at David in worry while Charming knelt down beside them, then he asked strangely, "What happened? Who… who did this to him? The last thing I remember…"

His wife finished for him as she stated, "…is having breakfast at home this morning with you and Neal."

"Not this morning," Emma uttered curtly, barely listening to her parents while she continued to focus on waking her husband and then fearfully cried out, "Killian! Please… please wake up. I need you. Oh God, I'm so… so sorry."

"I'm afraid that your pirate won't be waking up, my dear," Morgana retorted cruelly from several feet away, seemingly forgotten since she had attacked them until the Charmings turned their attentions back to her. "Not ever again. You see, I had a little failsafe installed within my curse. Just in case he actually managed to convince all of you of the truth. I'm surprised to be sure. He's just as Merlin said he was."

It was then Regina, Grumpy, Belle, Gold, and August all came running over upon leaving Granny's when they saw their friends were in danger, while Emma glared at the villainess and responded coldly, "Killian was right. You did all of this because he killed Merlin while he was the Dark One almost two years ago. And you couldn't. What have you done to him?!"

Morgana shouted at her angrily, "Merlin destroyed my life! After he made me what I've become and then imprisoned me for centuries within my own crypt. So because your true love took away my chance at revenge, I destroyed his life. Hook's still alive for now, but he's trapped in a permanent state of unconsciousness because I made it so. He's not under a sleeping curse, so you won't be able to wake him up with true love's kiss like you just did to break his curse. It's only a matter a time before his body will shut down and then… then he will die."

"Wake him up!" Snow called out steadfastly. "Killian is a good man, not the villain you're killing him for being. He killed Merlin because the darkness consumed him. Surely you can understand that. Take a look at yourself in the mirror."

"The only way he's going to survive… is if you heroes kill me and we all know that you can't do that," the Sorceress replied cruelly. "I'm immortal. And an immortal can't be killed."

The true Dark One stepped forward a few feet while Belle reached out nervously for him until Gold assured her he'd be fine, then he turned back to Morgan Le Fay and retorted, "I hate to disappoint you, dearie. But you're very wrong about that. Immortals can be killed. Believe me I know, being the Dark One and all. It's just bloody difficult. I really wouldn't tempt us to prove it to you."

Rumple suddenly blasted the witch back several feet through the air in order to make a point, then she quickly stood back on her feet and attempted to retaliate, until Merlin suddenly appeared between the Sorceress and his friends to defend them despite him only being nothing more than a ghost.

She glared at him as the more powerful Sorcerer spoke up saying, "I begged you not to come after him, Morgana. I warned you that they would defeat you in a way I never could. I may love you like a daughter, but you leave me no choice."

The moment Merlin turned his back to her to make his way towards Emma, Morgan Le Fay attempted again to strike back against him until Gold immediately froze her for as long as he was able while she struggled to break free of his hold. The Sorcerer nodded at the Dark One in gratitude, then continued towards the Savior and knelt down beside her and Killian. He laid his hand over the small of her back, then turned his head to look up at Regina who was standing a few feet away and reached out for her hand as well, urging her to take it.

Regina stepped forward as she took the Sorcerer's hand while Emma carefully lifted Killian into her parents' arms and took Merlin's other hand as well. Together, with Merlin between the Savior and the Queen, they stood as Gold released the Sorceress from his own power, then upon understanding what was needed to be done, Emma and Regina unleashed their magic against the villainess, blocking their powers for as long as she could. Finally, once they felt she was weakened, Merlin enacted the reverse spell of the one he used on Morgan Le Fay centuries ago to make her immortal through the heroes beside him, once again making her mortal. Morgana screamed in anguish and anger as she felt herself being ripped apart from the inside out until at last she collapsed against the ground unconscious. She was still alive, but was now powerless.

"Hook should be alright now," Merlin said quietly after Emma immediately ran back over to Killian and once again pulled him back into her arms. "Or at least he will be once you finish healing him now that the curse and Morgana's failsafe have been lifted. He's suffered a great deal over the last few days because of Morgana and myself. His mind and body simply needs time to recover."

"I am so sorry," he continued. "Morgana became this way because of something I did to her so long ago. She was imprisoned, but when I died…"

David finished for him, "She became free and sought revenge. But on Hook because he killed you."

Merlin nodded and then answered, "Yes."

"Your death was my fault, not Killian's," Emma firmly responded while she kept her eyes solely on her husband and tenderly caressed his cheek. "The darkness took control of him because I forced it into him. He made mistakes too, but he never would have hurt you had I not betrayed him."

"I don't blame either of you, Emma," the Sorcerer replied while he knelt down in front of her. "I never did. I understood all too well the darkness and of its power. How it consumes any good within the person it possesses. Tell him that for me. Will you? When he awakens. And thank you all. For helping me to finally right the last regret I made in my life. I can move on now. Goodbye."

Merlin then vanished as he faded away, leaving Morgana behind to be dealt with as the heroes saw fit. It was decided among them they would lock the Sorceress within her own prison cell among the rest of those locked away in the ward beneath the hospital. No longer caring about what came of the hatter, she told the heroes where she hid Jefferson's hat, then he said his own goodbyes and returned to his daughter.

The curse that had been cast over Hook had finally been lifted and no one other than the Savior were aware of the alterations created within their lives because of Killian having never been born. Why Emma could remember not being married to her husband and seeing the deep despair and hopeless in his eyes as he fought so hard to try to get her to believe in him all over again, she didn't know. And it killed her inside to know that she had been a major cause of his pain.

Later, Killian slowly awakened once again within the hospital, only much to his relief after the memories of all he'd been through since Morgana had come to Storybrooke, he weakly turned his head and found Emma lying in the bed beside him fast asleep with her hand resting gently over his right cheek. Killian smiled and then allowed himself to fall asleep again as well.


	24. Chapter 24

Leather & Lace

Chapter Twenty-Four

The morning after Killian awakened from Morgana's failsafe, Emma looked over at his sleeping form and carefully sat up so as not to disturb him, then slipped out of the bed to stretch out, feeling the stiffness from having slept within the small space beside her husband. Not that she was complaining. It was the best sleep she had gotten in three nights because while no one else could still remember their lives being different than what they really are thanks to Killian being a part of their lives, she did and her life without the man she loved was miserable.

It was early, and she figured Killian would be asleep for awhile longer, so Emma left his room, then walked down the stairs leading to the psych ward until she came to the cell where Regina and her father had locked the now powerless and mortal Sorceress away in. Emma took a few breaths in and out, then finally reached out to unlock the door before opening it to walk inside, where she found Morgana sitting on the top end of the cot staring at the wall in front of her while passing her time by braiding her hair, pulling out the twists, then braiding them again.

"I really didn't expect I would see you again so soon," the witch said eerily without lifting her head to look over at the Savior as Emma approached her. "I didn't think you would ever want to see me again, not after what I did to your poor, poor husband. How is he doing this morning?"

"You made me… and everyone else here, everyone throughout all the world and in other realms, forget that Killian… Captain Hook even existed," Emma responded darkly, facing off against the villainess before her as she's faced every other villain locked up within the ward and many more, without fear. "He's really only known as Killian Jones to those of us here. You made him go crazy trying to prove to me that he loved me all over again. I locked him up for being a threat and pointed my gun at him because I believed him to be a danger to all of us. And on top of all that… you almost killed him. Killian sacrificed not only his heart to try to keep alive one of our friends who died long ago because he believed we would find ourselves again even without him, but also very nearly his life when he saved me from being killed by that shard of glass you propelled at him."

Morgana finally turned to her as she replied cruelly, "I don't think I was the one who really did all that. You said it yourself, Savior. It was his love for you that put him in the hospital where he is right now. It was you who made him fight like crazy to set things right. It was you who made him feel like a threat. Not me. Most people would have moved on and realized love wasn't worth all that pain your boyfriend put himself through."

Emma glared at her as she unfalteringly answered, "Killian's my husband. Not some boyfriend and he would give his life for me a hundred times over to prove his love for me. He showed me that a long time ago, even when we still barely knew one another. And I would do the same for him without hesitation. We share true love and your dark magic can never destroy that. He defeated you."

"Is that why you've come down here?" the dark haired woman with green eyes questioned. "To gloat about your victory?"

"No," the Savior responded firmly. "No, I came down here to confront the witch who tried to destroy all of our lives and hurt the man I love. So that your face won't ever haunt my dreams. And it won't. I will never think about you again and neither will anyone else. Your actions are what put you down here in your new prison and why you'll die all alone, having been forgotten by everyone just as you did to Killian. If you ask me, that's justice. Oh… and you know what? You did do me one favor. You reminded me just how much Killian has done for me and everyone we love. You made me even more grateful to have him in my life than I even was before. So thank you."

A short time later, Emma returned to Killian's room and found him still asleep, which honestly she was grateful for, as she worried her husband would panic upon waking up again in the hospital, in fear that something worse than what had already to him occurred. She quietly walked around to the left side of his bed again, then reached down to caress his cheek before leaning down to kiss his forehead.

Killian weakly opened his eyes and Emma sat down on the edge of the bed while he struggled to clear the haze clouding his vision until he suddenly felt startled when he became confused by where he was just as Emma feared he would. The Savior took his hand in her own and then gently turned his head so that he could see only into her eyes and the smile on her face.

She fought back the worry she felt for him so she could calm him as she whispered, "It's all right, Killian. I'm right here. You're safe. And so are everyone else."

He looked up at her in concern while he replied, "Last night… you lying in this bed beside me… it was real?"

"Yes," the Savior answered assuredly and tightened her grip on his hand. "Everything's back to the way it's supposed to be. You're Killian Jones and Captain Hook, but the best version of him the world has ever known. And most importantly, you're my husband whom I love more than I've ever loved anyone."

"The curse is broken…" Hook stated in relief, then let out a quiet sigh before he struggled to sit up against the pillows underneath his back and finally reached out to caress her cheek like she did for him while they continued to look into each other's eyes. "You defeated Morgana?"

Emma shook her head and resolutely responded, "We only took away her power and immortality with Merlin's help so that she couldn't hurt anyone ever again. That's a story for another time. My point is, you were the one who defeated her, Killian. You never stopped fighting for us. I'm so sorry. I said some terrible things to you and pushed you away like I always used to. I should have been stronger. But I… You're my true love and I would give my life for you in a heartbeat as you've always been willing to do for me. I just wish you wouldn't continue to think so little of yourself to where you're always so eager to make that sacrifice first."

He replied quietly, "I'm not so sure I know how not to do that, love. And this time, it wasn't like I had much of a choice. You weren't yourself. And neither was anyone else themselves. I needed to find a way to get you all to believe in me again. So I took a page from your parents' love story and did as your father had once done for your mother."

"Thank you," the woman who loved him whispered again, then leaned down to kiss him as she laid down beside him once more and Killian wrapped his arms around her.

Later that afternoon…

After leaving the hospital and then going home to change, Emma convinced her husband to join her and their family at Granny's for lunch. When they walked inside, her parents weren't the only ones waiting for them, as most of their closest friends were there as well, including Belle and Gold, August and Marco, Grumpy and the rest of the dwarfs, Archie, Zelena, Blue, and of course Granny. Regina was the only one who was missing and Killian had a good feeling he knew why.

The Savior saw the look of sadness in his eyes and sensed his discomfort, and she understood the reason for it, so she squeezed his hand, then offered him a smile in hope it was enough to help him now so he could try to enjoy the evening. Upon seeing their daughter and son in law walk in, both David and Snow immediately came over to them as the Prince suddenly engulfed Hook in a firm embrace. Snow then did the same once David released him and Killian was at shock for words.

"We're sorry, it's just… we're happy you're alright," Charming said while he reached out again to squeeze Killian's arm. "And we're even sorrier for whatever we might have done or said while you were under Morgan Le Fay's curse."

"You don't remember anything from the last few days?" the Captain questioned, looking between Emma's parents.

Snow shook her head as she answered, "Unfortunately not. But Emma told us what happened. What you went through and all you did for all of us. Thank you so much, Killian."

Hook smiled uneasily and then responded, "You've nothing to thank me for. I only did what anyone else would have done. And you don't have to apologize either. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Actually, that isn't true…is it?" his father in law retorted and pointed to the bruise lining Killian's lower jaw, then reached up to the bruise on his own cheek. "When we brought you to the hospital once we took down the Sorceress, I noticed the bruise under your chin. I could also feel the one over my cheek and I kind of put two and two together. Something tells me we probably got into more than one disagreement and seeing as we didn't remember you, I'm guessing it was once again because I only saw you as I used to see you. As a pirate?"

"Aye," Killian replied. "But to be fair, I deserved it. I didn't always go about trying to break the curse the right way, for which I do apologize for as well."

David clasped his shoulder, then answered simply, "Water under the bridge. You're a good man, Hook. Whatever might have happened over the last few days doesn't matter. Your only thoughts were of us in the end and you paid a heavy price for it. Emma also told us you had to help her learn to forgive her mother and I for our mistake with Maleficent and Lily like you did before and that eventually she did. Thank you. I owe you, a lot. But for now, how about you and I go out for a few drinks tonight down at the Rabbit Hole? I know you probably want to spend the rest of the evening with Emma, but…"

Killian cut him off before he could finish as he spoke again saying, "A guys night out does sound great, mate. But perhaps tomorrow night might be better. When I leave here, there's some things I have to do."

"Tomorrow night's perfect," the former sheriff responded.

The celebration went on for a few hours and any awkwardness there might have been between the heroes in the diner had faded away as everyone simply celebrated the defeated of yet another villain and the recovery of the man responsible for putting their lives back together the way they should be.

"I really hate to cut this party short, but it appears duty calls," Emma eventually stated upon receiving a text from the barkeeper currently tending bar down at the Rabbit Hole, then looked to Killian. "It seems the Vikings have started causing trouble a little early tonight. We should get going. That is, if you're up to it… sheriff?"

"Actually, do you think you could handle this without…" he began until he turned to David to continue. "Perhaps your father would be willing to help you out like old times? There's just something I need to do before I head home that I really can't put off any longer. We can talk about it later?"

Emma nodded while David replied, "Of course I can go with her. Go do whatever you need to do."

Killian leaned in to kiss his wife and nodded his gratitude to David, then walked out of the diner while his wife watched him leave with worry for him until Emma and her father left Granny's a few minutes later themselves. They headed further down the street where the bar stood, then entered to break up whatever fight had broken out this time.

Meanwhile…

After he had left the diner as the sun was quickly setting, Killian found himself kneeling in front of Robin Hood's grave and upon making sure that he was alone, he stared ahead at his friend's name as he said quietly, "I'm not really sure what I can say here to make what's come of you… twice because of me in all honesty, all right. I suspect nothing can be said, other than perhaps a mere apology, which hardly makes this any less unfair than before. However, it's all I can say so… I am truly sorry. You deserve to be here still. I can assure you I did try… to find a way to fix my mistakes and keep you alive, but I failed and for that I can't…"

"I'm sorry," Regina uttered apologetically after she cut Killian off when she cautiously approached him with flowers in her hands and accidentally stepped on a small branch that had snapped under her heal, causing Killian to be startled as he stood up to face her. "I really didn't mean to interrupt you, Hook. I just… I wasn't expecting to find anyone else here. Least of all not…"

"Not me," he finished for their one friend who hadn't joined them all at Granny's for the celebration for what he suspected was for this very reason, knowing that it was because Emma must have told her Robin had been back with them again for a brief time despite Regina being unable to remember him being here. "I understand. Truly I do. I was simply just wishing to pay my respects to him, but I'm finished. So, I'll leave you alone so you can have the time you need to talk with him alone."

Killian started to walk away until Regina quickly reached out to grab his arm, then spoke out to him saying, "Hook… wait! You don't have to rush off. I can come back in a few minutes so you can finish whatever you were saying."

He smiled at her and then answered despondently, "There's no need, love. I simply wished for a moment to tell him that I'm sorry. But I can do that any time. It's not like it matters much anyways. What's happened has happened and nothing I can do will bring him back or make his death any less my fault. I'll see you later, Your Majesty."

"Robin's death wasn't your fault, Hook," Regina responded assuredly when he started to walk away once more, causing Killian to freeze where he stood with his back to her. "Honestly, I thought you knew that. But then I suppose I was too afraid to make sure you weren't blaming yourself because a part of me might have wanted you to feel some of the guilt I feel. It was wrong of me and I'm sorry. Hades was the one who killed him, Hook. And that happened because we foolishly allowed ourselves to believe for a second that the God of the Underworld had a real change of heart. Although, you never actually did believe it. I think you were the only smart one. My point is… I don't blame you. At least not anymore I don't. You died, and then you were granted a very rare gift that allowed you to come back home so you can have your happy ending. And you have earned it. I'll admit it made me angry at first. Really angry because I didn't believe it was fair that you were resurrected when Robin couldn't be."

"The anger was mutual, love," Killian replied sadly.

Regina looked at him sadly and then continued "But that was Zeus' decision. Not either of ours. What I'm trying to say, is that what happened to Robin might have been prevented, but not because of any decisions you made. Not today and not back then."

Killian shook his head, then finally turned around to face her again as he answered her curtly, "If only you knew how wrong you really are."

"Hook… when Morgana's curse over you was first lifted, I suddenly felt a strange shift as though something I cared about suddenly vanished and I found myself missing Robin even more than I've been feeling over the last year," she responded. "That's why I came here tonight to visit with him and why I couldn't join you all at Granny's this evening. I didn't understand why I was suddenly missing him so much more, but then Emma told us everything that happened to you. She told me that you had been willing to give up your life with her so things wouldn't go back to how they are. So Robin and I could be together again. You had enough belief we could all have our happy endings even if it meant you losing yours. I've never really thanked you for a whole lot since we've met, even when we became friends. So… thank you. By the way, you didn't choose to break the curse. Emma did so she could save your life. And it was the right decision."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," he replied sadly and then finally walked away for good to leave Regina alone with the man she loved and lost.

Inside Emma's and Killian's home…

About an hour later, Emma returned from taking care of the disturbance in town with her father and walked in to find her husband in the kitchen as he was attempting to cook bacon over the stove and clearly it wasn't going very well, as she heard him curse to himself before he noticed she had walked in.

The Savior immediately rushed over to him when he suddenly burned his hand on the pan when he turned back to it too fast and painfully cried out, "Gah… bloody hell!"

When his wife suddenly appeared in front of him and worked quickly to remove the pan from the burner as he had been trying to do, then turned it off, she also took his hand into her own, while Killian immediately apologized to her as he stated, "I'm sorry, love. For cursing and for ruining dinner. It's just that I was trying to do something nice for you around here for a change. But clearly I've still much to learn. Unfortunately, cooking was never something I was good at, nor was I ever really taught, having spent all my life on the seas or in the taverns at every port we ever visited. Don't worry about the mess. I'll clean it up."

"You don't have to apologize and you certainly don't have to feel obligated to try to cook for me," Emma answered gently and laid her other hand over his as well while she allowed her magic to flow through her and into him to heal him, then leaned in to tenderly kiss his lips. "It's very sweet, Killian. But you only have one hand and I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself trying to do things that don't come easy for you like this because you're feeling guilty when there's no need for you to be."

"I ran into Regina on my way home from the station after Dad and I stopped there to put a few of the Vikings in jail for the night," she continued quietly and pulled her husband along with her into the living room, then sat down beside him on their couch. "She told me about her run in with you at Robin's grave. She said you were still blaming yourself for his death, but that you also uttered something that made her concerned… something about how you feel you could have prevented his death. Killian, you were willing to give up your happiness to try to keep him alive. I know Regina told you this, but you clearly didn't accept it when she said it, so I'm going to tell you too. There is nothing you could have done. Besides, I made the decision to give you true love's kiss with hope that it would break the curse in you and restore our lives the way they are meant to be. I believed in you because you never gave up on us… on me and I've never loved you more. I couldn't let you die when I knew I could save you. Even if it meant losing Robin all over again. The truth is, we lost him well over a year ago and we've all grieved and accepted our loss. Including Regina. If we sacrificed you to save him, then we would have had to go through the grieving process all over again and Regina would be comforting Robin tonight instead."

He smiled at her sadly, then lowered his head to avoid looking into her eyes as he quietly responded, "Aye… you're right, love. And I'm grateful to you for saving me and breaking the curse. Everything is as it should be again."

Sensing there was something more on his mind, Emma placed one of her hands beneath his chin while continuing to hold his own and gently lifted his head so she could get him to look at her again, then whispered, "What else are you not telling me? What is it that's been worrying you so much, enough to wake you so early that it makes you feel the need to fix up your ship when there's nothing wrong with her?"

"I've wanted to tell you," Killian replied sadly as Emma laid her hand over the right side of his face to caress his cheek as she's done so many times to comfort him. "It's just… I suppose I was ashamed that I might not ever be able to give you what your heart truly desires."

"Killian… you are all my heart truly wants," the Savior answered worryingly, with confusion in her eyes while she continued to look at him. "I love you. So much more than I ever believed was possible. Why would you think I would ever think differently? Or that there's something else…"

Before she could finish, Killian responded, "Before Henry left, you expressed to me your desire for a second chance at having another child. A second chance to be able to watch your child grow as your parents were given with Neal and Belle and Gold were given with Gideon. So far nothing's changed since we've begun trying after we were married and as you've already had Henry, and you're the Savior… the fault must be mine. What if I'm to blame? What if because of my dark past with my own father, not to mention me having given up on Baelfire when he denied me my desire to be the father to him that his own couldn't be either… is the reason I'm not deserving of being a father now myself. I would never abandon our child, or treat him or her as my father treated Liam and me. But I fear it may be too late for…"

Emma finally cut him off before he could continue tearing himself down any longer as she tenderly replied, "Stop. Killian… you have been a wonderful father to Henry ever since we returned from New York and he didn't even have his memories. When Neal died… when he died as he did for real, you were there to teach Henry all about his father because you knew the side of Neal that even I didn't. You taught Henry all about navigating the stars, how to sail the Jolly Roger, how to swordfight… I know you would never abandon our child, as you've never abandoned us, or abandoned me. Try to remember how hard you fought to get back to us after Gideon banished you and kept us apart. You never gave up trying to get home to me. As for what happened so long ago between you and your own father…"

"Swan, I murdered him," Hook interrupted curtly, then looked away in shame as he wiped the tears in his eyes as one slipped down his cheek. "I may have been a villain when I confronted him again, but it was no excuse for what I did. And he may have been a terrible father to me and Liam, but he changed. He fought to make things right by being a father to our half brother and I destroyed his chance to do that. Were it not for the chance of Liam arriving here in Storybrooke, another boy would have continued to live with hate in his heart because I put it there."

"Yet chance… or fate, or whatever it was, did bring Liam here so that you could make things right for your brother despite whatever fate you believe is trying to prevent you from having your happy ending in its entirety," she answered strongly with love for her husband in her eyes as Emma tightly took his hand in hers for reassurance. "I will be happy with you, for the rest of my life, Killian. Even if we aren't blessed to have a child of our own. But I won't ever see it as a reflection on you. It would simply mean that a second child isn't meant to be. I need you to believe that. I love you. I always have. I always will. And I count myself blessed every day because you've come into my life."

Emma leaned in to kiss him, then when she pulled back again, Killian smiled at her as he whispered, "As I count myself blessed to have you in mine."

The Savior laughed and whispered in return, "I know."

The End


	25. Thank You

Thank you to all of those who have read and have written reviews for my story! They are much appreciated. I'm honored to have you all for fans and I hope to hear from you all again in the future, should you choose to read and enjoy more of my work. Best of wishes to you all!

Sincerely,

Genevieve Kelly


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